The new definition of the animal is one of the fascinating features of the intellectual life of the early modern period. The sixteenth century saw the invention of the new science of zoology. This went hand in hand with the (re)discovery of anatomy, physiology and – in the seventeenth century – the invention of the microscope. The discovery of the new world confronted intellectuals with hitherto unknown species, which found their way into courtly menageries, curiosity cabinets and academic collections. Artistic progress in painting and drawing brought about a new precision of animal illustrations. In this volume, specialists from various disciplines (Neo-Latin, French, German, Dutch, History, history of science, art history) explore the fascinating early modern discourses on animals in science, literature and the visual arts. The volume is of interest for all students of the history of science and intellectual life, of literature and art history of the early modern period. Contributors include Rebecca Parker Brienen, Paulette Choné, Sarah Cohen, Pia Cuneo, Louise Hill Curth, Florike Egmond, Karl A.E. Enenkel, Susanne Hehenberger, Annemarie Jordan-Gschwendt, Erik Jorink, Johan Koppenol, Almudena Perez de Tudela, Vibeke Roggen, Franziska Schnoor, Paul J. Smith, Thea Vignau-Wilberg, and Suzanne J. Walker.

The Oxford Handbook of Animals in Classical Thought and Life is the first comprehensive guide to animals in the ancient world, encompassing all aspects of the topic by featuring authoritative chapters on 33 topics by leading scholars in their fields. As well as an introduction to, and a survey of, each topic, it provides guidance on further reading for those who wish to study a particular area in greater depth. Both the realities and the more theoretical aspects of the treatment of animals in ancient times are covered in chapters which explore the domestication of animals, animal husbandry, animals as pets, Aesop's Fables, and animals in classical art and comedy, all of which closely examine the nature of human-animal interaction. More abstract and philosophical topics are also addressed, including animal communication, early ideas on the origin of species, and philosophical vegetarianism and the notion of animal rights.

Presents a history of the scientific understanding of animals, discussing such topics as classification, animal behavior, menageries and zoos, genetics, and mythology.

This book investigates relations between humans and animals over several centuries with a focus on the Middle Ages, since important features of our perceptions regarding animals have been rooted in that period. Elucidating various aspects of medieval human-animal relationships requires transdisciplinary discourse, and so this book aims to reconcile the materiality of animals with complex cultural systems illustrating their subtle transitions 'between body and mind'.