Creatures in Medieval and Early Modern Books: Forms, Functions, and Artistic Fantasy

Whether scary or serene, malicious or benevolent, creatures were often
represented on the pages of medieval and early modern books. In this
introductory lecture to the exhibition, _Tales of Imaginary Creatures in
Medieval and Renaissance Rare Books and Manuscripts_ , we explore the forms
and functions of these fantastic beings, which appear not only in the margins,
but also as the focus of religious and secular books alike. Relevant themes
include the relationship (or lack thereof) between text and image and the role
of artistic imagination in book decoration.

Christopher Platts is an Assistant Professor of Art History and University
Research Council Scholar at the University of Cincinnati. His work focuses on
medieval and early modern European art, especially Italian Renaissance
painting and manuscript illumination. He is also active as a curator, co-
organizing exhibitions at university museums and special collection libraries.
His most recent exhibition, in spring 2024, was “Rediscovering Catherina van
Hemessen’s “Scourging of Christ”: Women Artists, Patrons, and Rulers in
Renaissance Europe” at the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP Library. https://huc.edu/libraries/library-events/library-event-registration/

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