Animals in art
Today, animals may not be as
special as many years ago. In many cultures animals are part of their story. Also for the old artists. Many
animals were used as a symbol, a way to express or to do research studies in
the past. Still, many cultures conserve it. Those important moment in which
animals were really important for some ancestor, are now shaped in art.
It is interesting to see the animals on
pieces of arts. Most of the objects bring a significant meaning for every
animal on them. In the following pictures we will see how important all the
works with animals are for their ancestors.
On this piece we can see a dolphin. Roman believed that this
kind of sculpture came from the snow and that it could avoid illness.
Rock
Crystal Statuette of a Dolphin
Bequest
of Ada Small Moore, 1955
3rd–5th
century
Roman
or Byzantine
On this work, the
artist used communication through this unicorn. Is kind of saying that it depends on us whether to stay in the circumstances we are or move on. the unicorn has a easy way to escape but he does'nt.
The
Unicorn in Captivity (from the Unicorn Tapestries)
Gift of John D.
Rockefeller Jr., 1937
1495–1505
South Netherlandish
This mommy makes us remember that egyptian used to wrap their body once they died. In this case this is an sacred dog.
Donation mummy with dog bones
Rogers Fund, 1913
ca. 400 B.C.–100 A.D
Late Period–Roman Period
All the following works have also a message or important meaning on the animals that appear on them:
Tapestry with Dragons and Flowers
Fletcher Fund, 1987
11th–12th century
Eastern
Central Asia
Kòmò Helmet Mask (Kòmòkun)
The Michael C.
Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Morton Lipkin, 1961
19th–mid-20th century
Guinea or Mali or Burkina
Faso or Côte d'Ivoire
Komo
or Koma Power Association
Marble statue of a lion
Purchase, Rogers Fund,
and James Loeb and Anonymous Gifts, 1909
ca. 400–390 B.C.
Classical
Greek
Janus Helmet Mask (Wanyugo)
The Michael C.
Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Gift of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1964
19th–mid-20th century
Côte d'Ivoire, Région
des Savanes, Ladiokaha
Senufo peoples
The Innocent Eye Test Mark Tansey (American, born San Jose, California 1949)
Gift of Jan Cowles and Charles Cowles, in honor of
William S. Lieberman, 1988
1981