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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. 79v–80r
Description:
Snakes (left)
Two intertwined serpents introduce an entry on the general qualities of snakes: their bending, shadowy, slippery, poisonous natures.
Viper (right)
This scene illustrates the deadly procreation of vipers: after mating, the female bites off the male’s head, and finally the young gnaw through the female’s belly.