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Animals In Christian Art
In Christian art, animal forms have at times occupied a place of importance. With the Renaissance, animals were nearly banished, except as an accessory to the human figure. Late Antique period In the early days of Latin and Byzantine Christianity, many representations of animals are found in monumental sculpture, in illuminated manuscripts, in stained glass windows, and in tapestry. Reasons for this include: # It affords an easy medium of expressing or symbolizing a virtue or a vice, by means of the virtue or vice usually attributed to the animal represented. # Animal forms were traditional elements of decoration. # Medieval designers returned to the direct study of nature, including man, the lower animals, and the humblest plants. The paintings of the first period, as seen in the Catacombs of Rome, show us, usually, the lamb accompanying the Good Shepherd, a representation of the Christian soul during its earthly life. The lamb was strongly associated with religious s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cat In Ghirlandaio's Last Supper Fresco, Refectory, San Marco, Florence
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of the family. Cats are commonly kept as house pets but can also be farm cats or feral cats; the feral cat ranges freely and avoids human contact. Domestic cats are valued by humans for companionship and their ability to kill rodents. About 60 cat breeds are recognized by various cat registries. The cat is similar in anatomy to the other felid species: they have a strong flexible body, quick reflexes, sharp teeth, and retractable claws adapted to killing small prey. Their night vision and sense of smell are well developed. Cat communication includes vocalizations like meowing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling, and grunting as well as cat-specific body language. Although the cat is a social species, they are a solitary hunter. As ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
