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Worksop Bestiary
England, possibly in Lincoln or York
ca. 1185
215 x 155 mm
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837–1913) in 1902
MS M.81, fols. 35v–36r
Description:
Leopard (left)
Although supposedly a degenerate animal born from the “adulterous” mating of a lioness and a pard, this elegant leopard evokes instead the confident beast featured in the heraldry of many noble families.
Lynx (right)
The bestiary tells us that lynxes like the one pictured here have eyesight sharp enough to penetrate walls.