Canvastrails » The Portrayal of animals in medieval art

Very recently I visited the city of Kraków in Poland and it completely seduced me with its beauty and richness in history. From breathtaking European architectural layers to modern cultural vibrancy, Kraków is by far one of the most captivating cities in Europe - at least in my humble opinion.

While there, I had the opportunity to visit the marvelous Wawel castle, standing tall, witnessing the Vistula river. It is considered to be the symbolic heart of Kraków, where Polish and not so Polish royalty ruled over centuries. I walked up a cobblestoned road leading to the main courtyard of the castle, accompanied by an eager street musician, whose sound carried past the reconstructed equestrian statue of Tadeusz Kościuszko. Among the hundreds of tourists I managed to squeeze some pictures of the Wawel cathedral, where kings were crowned and buried and it completely blew my mind.

Wawel Cathedral, Archcathedral Basilica of Saint Stanislaus and Saint Wenceslaus

I continued my way to the most important part of the castle complex (also the one I paid to see) - the residence. Walking through a beautifully arched corridor, I emerged into this stunning, interior courtyard, which Italian architects Francesco Fiorentino and Bartolomeo Berrecci transformed into a masterpiece. The Italian architects were invited by king Sigismund I the Old, who was married to Italian-born queen Bona Sforza, in the beginning of 16th century. I tried to capture its vastness and beauty, but I believe I failed. It was one of those ‘you had to be there to see it’ moments, and I sincerely encourage you to visit if you ever find yourself in Kraków.

Wawel Interior Courtyard

Once I entered the castle, I was welcomed by a surprising temporary exhibition, ‘How about something different? Contemporary Art at the Wawel Castle’, representing the works of Polish artists (Jerzy Nowosielski, Jonasz Stern, Tadeusz Brzozowski, Edward Dwurnik and Marcin Maciejowski) who have created a lasting mark on 20th and the 21st century art. I then finally found myself in the chambers decorated with medieval royal tapestries, which had drawn me there in the first place.

Wawel hosts a substantial collection of textiles, of about 730 pieces, making it one of the most important collections in the Castle, because of their age and their connection with the royal residence. The collection includes King Sigismund II Augustus’ tapestries, commissioned by him in the 16th century (1550 -1560) and woven in Brussels. We know this to be the largest ever commissioned tapestry collection by a single ruler. These monumental textiles are among the most precious treasures housed here. But while their scale and artistry are undeniably impressive, what actually captured my attention, aside from the giggles of the group of visitors, were the animals.

We all know the internet is a wonderful place and most of you may be familiarized with some of the derp-faced, medieval animal collages circling around. It always plucked a chuckle out of me and made me wonder what exactly made the artists back then represent the poor animals in such a manner. And it wasn’t just the animals. If you take a closer look at the humans portrayed in paintings or tapestries, you may notice a few irregularities. So I did some research and decided to write this article to let you have a look behind the curtains.

At first glance, the animals in medieval art can look outright comical. Lions resemble oversized cats with odd human expressions, horses are stiff and disproportionate and exotic creatures look as if the artists were listening to someone describe them through a game of telephone. Compared to our modern expectations of anatomical accuracy, something is definitely off.

Tapestry fragment of exotic animals

But actually, here’s the important thing: medieval artists were not necessarily trying to create zoological or anatomical precision studies. Far from it. In the Middle Ages, art was almost never about realism, but about meaning. Animals were symbols, metaphors. They were biblical stories or moral lessons woven into textiles, painted onto panels or carved into stone.

A piece of Meissen porcelain - part of The Porcelain Cabinet Wawel collection

A lion could represent strength, kingship or even Christ. In early Christian records, they said panthers were born dead and only came back to life after three days, therefore, medieval interprets associated the phenomenon with the resurrection of Christ. A lamb symbolized innocence, sacrifice and dogs stood for loyalty. Even the unicorn, a creature that didn’t exist, carried religious meaning, associated with purity and Virgin Mary. Another example would be the dragon, another mythical creature, clearly symbolizing evil.

Dragon fighting a panther

(Image credit: https://piec-uczuc.muzea.malopolska.pl/)

When I looked again at the tapestries in Wawel Castle, I noticed that the animals were not just randomly scattered across backgrounds. They live in carefully composed landscapes, surrounded by lush vegetation in what art historians call the millefleur style - a background with patterns of small flowers and plants. They seem to exist in a world that is both natural and symbolic. One part observation and the other part imagination.

And that imagination was deeply influenced by medieval bestiaries. Those were the popular books that described animals, both real and mythical, and explained their meanings - moral or spiritual. These brought together facts, folklore, and religion.

A stag could represent the human soul in search of God. A pelican was believed to wound its own breast to feed its offspring with blood, symbolizing Christ’s sacrifice. Speaking of pelicans, another example of the same metaphor could be found in the city of Poznań, Poland - The mysterious bird atop the Działyński Palace. Some are convinced it is an eagle, others think it’s a swan, some may think it has the body of a dragon, covered in scales.

The palace, built in the 18th century by a generous investor, Grand Marshal of Lithuania, Władysław Roch Gurowski, and later owned by the Działyński family, became a patriotic symbol. When the façade was redesigned in the early 19th century, the family replaced the earlier Gurowski heraldry with an image expressing sacrifice and national rebirth. The pelican - representing devotion, self sacrifice, and care for the nation.

Pelican atop Działyński Palace

(Image credit: Tomasz Koryl 2015 )

Well, suddenly, all those derpy medieval animals circulating online start to make more sense. They certainly weren’t failures of skill. They were visual, fantastical storytelling.

Of course, by the time when King Sigismund II Augustus commissioned his magnificent tapestry collection, Europe was already galloping toward Renaissance. Artists were studying anatomy, perspective, and proportion much more carefully than ever before. And yet, the symbolic tradition did not just disappear. Amazingly, it coexisted with the growth of realism and perfectionism. What I like most about this period is that the medieval imagination and the fantasy lingered inside a world that was rapidly changing and becoming more and more observational.

I’m pretty sure that what we see today as awkward Middle Age animals was never meant to be judged by nowadays standards. Medieval art was never aiming to depict the world exactly as it was seen. It aimed to show a deeper truth about how the world was understood back then. And in that world, animals were not just simple beasts walking the earth, they were reflections of morality, power, faith, fear and evil. But… With all that being said, they are still funny to look at!

Thanks so much for reading, I hope this article has cleared some of the mysteries around medieval animals represented in art.