A celebration of the visual contributions of the bestiary--one of the most popular types of illuminated books during the Middle Ages--and an exploration of its lasting legacy. Brimming with lively animals both real and fantastic, the bestiary was one of the great illuminated manuscript traditions of the Middle Ages. Encompassing imaginary creatures such as the unicorn, siren, and griffin; exotic beasts including the tiger, elephant, and ape; as well as animals native to Europe like the beaver, dog, and hedgehog, the bestiary is a vibrant testimony to the medieval understanding of animals and their role in the world. So iconic were the stories and images of the bestiary that its beasts essentially escaped from the pages, appearing in a wide variety of manuscripts and other objects, including tapestries, ivories, metalwork, and sculpture. With over 270 color illustrations and contributions by twenty-five leading scholars, this gorgeous volume explores the bestiary and its widespread influence on medieval art and culture as well as on modern and contemporary artists like Pablo Picasso and Damien Hirst. Published to accompany an exhibition on view at the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center May 14 to August 18, 2019.

An alphabet bestiary featuring mythical animals such as the amphisbaena, basilisk, and catoblepas.

"Discover the boundless creativity of a family passion about artwork, where animator Thomas Romain adapts the drawings of his two young sons into beautiful water color illustrations. Family Traits features dozens of original character designs, creative commentary from both father & sons, rough concepts, bonus illustrations, and more." -- cover, page 4.

All scales, fins and feathers considered, there’s so much to explore when it comes to the endlessly exciting and dramatically diverse inhabitants of the wizarding world! From Acromantulas to Thestrals, this beautiful book details every monster, beast or creature that has ever appeared in any official Harry Potter book, film, or theatrical production. The Unofficial Harry Potter Bestiary includes more than 200 fascinating, magical creatures in all, with each entry providing a number of important classifications, including first appearance in Harry Potter lore, location, disposition, physical appearance, attack abilities, defenses and intriguing story facts. We've also included rich descriptions for each entry, detailing each creature's history (or biography, in the case of specific creature characters), habitat and impact on the various stories from throughout the Wizarding World. So feed your inner magizoologist’s hunger for knowledge, learn more about these incredible creatures (including stories about them passed down through generations by historians and mythologists) and discover how to spot them in the wild—or even your own backyard.

“Ask the beast and it will teach thee, and the birds of heaven and they will tell thee.” —Job 12:7 In the Middle Ages, the bestiary achieved a popularity second only to that of the Bible. In addition to being a kind of encyclopedia of the animal kingdom, the bestiary also served as a book of moral and religious instruction, teaching human virtues through a portrayal of an animal’s true or imagined behavior. In A Jewish Bestiary, Mark Podwal revisits animals, both real and mythical, that have captured the Jewish imagination through the centuries. Originally published in 1984 and called “broad in learning and deep in subtle humor” by the New York Times, this updated edition of A Jewish Bestiary features new full-color renderings of thirty-five creatures from Hebraic legend and lore. The illustrations are accompanied by entertaining and instructive tales drawn from biblical, talmudic, midrashic, and kabbalistic sources. Throughout, Podwal combines traditional Jewish themes with his own distinctive style. The resulting juxtaposition of art with history results in a delightful and enlightening bestiary for the twenty-first century. From the ant to the ziz, herein are the creatures that exert a special force on the Jewish fancy.