While animals of the natural world are depicted in many historical artworks, their depiction in Medieval Christian art as symbolic representations are repeated in various media throughout the Middle Ages. To demonstrate, I will compare the animal imagery depicted in Salonika: Hosios David: Apse Mosaic: Christ with symbols of the Evangelists Luke and Mark, c.5th A.D. (Fig.1) and Gospel Book Cod. 348 fol. 8v Hand of God & Evangelist Symbols, c.820 A.D. (Fig.2).
To begin, Fig.1 is Byzantine mosaic located in the apse in the Church of Hosios David, Thessaloniki, Greece 5th Cent. A.D. Meant to be viewed by multiple viewers at once, the mosaic’s composition centres around a figure of Christ that is surrounded by a man/angel bust, a winged lion,
To begin, Fig.1 is Byzantine mosaic located in the apse in the Church of Hosios David, Thessaloniki, Greece 5th Cent. A.D. Meant to be viewed by multiple viewers at once, the mosaic’s composition centres around a figure of Christ that is surrounded by a man/angel bust, a winged lion,