The Physiologus of Bern

Abstract

The student of the art of the Middle Ages finds himself confronted again and again with the question, “What were the ultimate sources from which the mediaeval artists drew their inspiration?” In most cases a literary source can be found, for mediaeval art is primarily one of illustration, and the research of recent years has accomplished much to answer the question by tracing the descent of iconographic types and compositions from the home of their creation. But style is a more elusive element that tends to lose its original quality and appearance with repeated copying when freedom of rendering is permissible and each successive artist may superimpose his individual style upon that of his model. Nevertheless, it has recently been shown that a number of East Christian manuscripts of varying dates exhibit certain qualities of style and composition which can be traced to Alexandria in the early centuries of the Christian era.¹ In Rome in the seventh century a short-lived revival of Alexandrian style left its mark in the frescoes of S. Maria Antiqua.²