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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. 65v–66r
Description:
Partridge (left)
This vibrant orange partridge illustrates an entry discussing the bird’s alleged lustful and deceitful nature.
Turtle-Doves (right)
The turtle doves are shown paired because they were believed to mate for life—symbolic of the eternal “marriage” of Christ and the Church.