Here Are 50 Perplexing Paintings Of The Middle Ages That'll Tickle Your Funny Bone
The Middle Ages aren't just about epic battles and heroic knights. With the fall of Roman culture in the fifth century, the medieval era began and continued until the Renaissance.
The precise end date of the Middle Ages differs among the historians you speak with. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, some scholars believe that the Renaissance began in the 13th century, while others contend that it started in the 14th or perhaps the 15th.
If there's one thing that never fails to lift our spirits, it's medieval art! It's vibrant, imaginative, wacky, and silly, and it shows how the artists had to use every ounce of their creative energy and stylistic skills to draw animals and monsters that they might or might not have seen with their own eyes.
The results? Often incredibly bizarre, but undeniably entertaining. We have gathered some of the best examples of odd medieval art from every corner of the internet.
We have also located some of the strangest representations of actual animals and mythological creatures to confound but still entertain you. So keep scrolling down to take a look at our collection.
1. That Owl Is Trying His Best
WeirdMedieval2. Medieval Frog
WeirdMedieval3. Looks Like A Demon. Kind Of Like Cats Are Now
WeirdMedieval4. Seems Like Lions Had More Character Back In The Day
WeirdMedieval5. This Leopard That's Clearly Distraught Over His Misrepresentation
Youngstown_Mafia6. Lion, England, 1390-1460
GawkyLions7. Medieval Paintings Of Cats Are Weird
PuggoKing978. This Elephant With A Tornado Trunk By Jacob Van Maerlant
Youngstown_Mafia
9. Love Depictions Of Lions From Countries That Clearly Don't Have Lions
WeirdMedieval
10. Hare Riding A Hound With A Trained Snail Of Prey, Before 1390
innuendoPL
11. My Favorite Picture I Took At The Louvre. I Call It "Freaked Out Lion Is Getting His Nails Done"
henryrollinsismypup
12. Wild Cats In 15th Century, France
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13. These Breathtaking Horses
WeirdMedieval
14. Owl Fight By Godfrey Of Viterbo, Italy 13th Century
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15. Medieval Garfield Looking For Lasagna
WeirdMedieval
16. Adorable Bats
WeirdMedieval
17. At Least They Tried To Depict A Frog
WeirdMedieval
18. Medieval Monkeys Being Medieval Bros With A Medieval Kitten
QRP1940
19. This Beaver With A Fish Tail
Youngstown_Mafia
20. Leopard, England, 13th Century
discarding_imgs
21. Weird Medieval Bat
kantun_15
22. Medieval Boar With Pants
WeirdMedieval
23. Medieval Oyster
Youngstown_Mafia
24. He Looks So Careless
WeirdMedieval
25. Looks Like Pug Dog
WeirdMedieval
26. This 15th Century Drawing Of A Greyhound Is An Undisputed Masterclass In Stylisation
WeirdMedieval
27. Snails On A Ladder. France, Circa 1320
Discarding Images
28. They Definitely Knew How A Dog Looked Like
theb00gieman
29. A Dog Riding A Bunny Spear-Fighting A Bunny Who Is Riding A Snail With The Head Of Rick Rubin
Familiar_Big3322
30. Someone Getting An Elephant Shrew Described To Them?
WeirdMedieval
31. An Elephant Protecting Her Baby From A Dragon, 14th Century
red_loeb
32. Lion, Belgium, 14th Century
weirdmedievalguys
33. This Owl With A Human Face
Youngstown_Mafia
34. A Whale, 13th Century
Youngstown_Mafia
35. A Chorus Line Of Camels
BLMedieval
36. Someone Tried To Paint A Catfish
zoruasaurus
37. Cats' Life During Medieval Times
reddit.com
38. Medieval Goofy?
FleurMacabre
39. Elephants In Late 13th Century
Youngstown_Mafia
40. If The Bear Is Brown, Lay Down. If It's Black, Fight Back. If It's White, Goodnight. And If It's Medieval, Climb The Smallest Tree Available, Totally Naked
LeedsDogAndJacobiCat
41. Medieval Human Dogs
lafondathepoet
42. Lion, France, 15th Century
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43. Wild Cats, 1485
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44. Pigs vs. Elephants, France, 1420-1425
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45. The Best Depiction Of Ants
archaeologyart
46. Why Do Medieval Cats Look Like Fully Grown Adults?
JustzaneYT
47. A Snail By Jacob Van Maerlant
Youngstown_Mafia
48. This Is Supposed To Be A Crocodile
Youngstown_Mafia
49. From The Cover Of My Medieval Literature Textbook
Feyrahel
50. Four Rats Rowing A Little Boat In The 14th Century France
archaeologyart
In general, the dissolution of feudal systems, the emergence of secular education, the fortification of Italian city-states, and the establishment of national monarchy in England, France, and Spain were the events that marked the end of the Middle Ages. For inspiration, the Renaissance went all the way back to the classical era.
Which of these depictions from the Middle Ages was your favorite and which ones made you laugh? We eagerly await your opinions as you share this collection too!
