Animal style

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vendel sword hilt from Norway. Hilt is repoussé Early 6th c. A.D. The gold plate grips and silver gilt mount at the mouth of the scabbard are in Style I.

Animal style (also known as Zoomorphic style) is a type of imagery used in Northern Europe during the ancient and medieval periods, characterized by animals or animal-like forms arranged in intricate patterns or combats. Animal Style Art consists of intricate, ribbonlike traceries of line that suggest wild and fantastic beasts. The animal style was used in England, Scandinavia, Germany, France and Russia.

The study of zoomorphic decorations was pioneered by Bernhard Salin in the early 20th century. He classified animal art of the 400-900 period into three phases: Scandinavian styles I, II and III.

Style I. First appears in northwest Europe, probably originating from the traditions of nomadic Asiatic steppes peoples, it became a noticeable new style with the introduction of chip carving applied to bronze and silver in the 5th century. Characterized by animals in the margins of works that are twisted, exaggerated, surreal, fragmented body parts filling every available space, creating an intense detailed energetic feel. It can be clearly seen in the Norwegian Vendel sword hilt from Grave V, Snartemo Hägebostad, Vest Agder, Norway (see picture). Also in this fibula (picture) from Öland Island, ca. 400-450 A.D.

Style II. After about 600 Style I was in decline and Salin's Style II rose in popularity. Displacing the surreal and fragmented animals of Style I, Style II's animals are whole beasts, elongated and intertwined into symmetrical shapes. Thus two bears are facing each other in perfect symmetry ("confronted"), forming the shape of a heart. Examples of Style II can be found on the gold purse lid (picture) from Sutton Hoo (ca. 625).

Style III. {incomplete}

Animal style was one component, along with Celtic art and late classical elements, in the formation of style of Insular art and Anglo-Saxon art in the British Isles, and through these routes and others on the Continent, left a considerable legacy in later Medieval art.

A Scythian tattoo.

A bronze idol representing a sacred bear. Found in the Perm Krai, dated to the 6th or 7th century.

A distinct style of decoration found in objects made of various copper alloys near the Ural mountains and the Volga and Kama rivers in today's Russia beginning from about 7th - 5th centuries BCE. [1]