The Library Unveiled: The Fantastic Bestiary

From April 11 to October 31, the San Marco Museum in Florence is hosting La Biblioteca Svelata: Il Bestiario Fantastico (The Library Unveiled: The Fantastic Bestiary), the 1ˢᵗ exhibition-dossier dedicated to the illuminated manuscripts preserved in the library built by Michelozzo, in turn considered the 1ˢᵗ public library in Europe.

The exhibition features a selection of manuscripts from the 13ᵗʰ to 16ᵗʰ centuries and delves into the universe of zoomorphic decoration, featuring known animals, hybrid creatures and fantastic figures. 
The core of the experience is a concentrate of images rich in symbolic and narrative meaning, such as the dragon, depicted alongside a saint who defeats the beast or alternatively as a free expression of imagination and decorative taste.