The Images of Sirens in the Art of Western Europe in 13th–15th Centuries: Genesis, Typology, Contexts

Sirens are mythical hybrid creatures: half-women, half-fish, or half-women, half-birds. Although the concept of sirens first appeared in the Antiquity, images of sirens did not cease to exist in the Middle Ages. Instead their depictions evolved to have appearance and meaning somewhat different from their origins. The aim of this paper is to develop a typology of images of sirens to help identify and explain the evolution of the siren between 13th and 15th centuries. To achieve this aim, it is necessary to analyze visual and textual sources and to create a typology. The paper is based on iconographic method of analysis and on assessment of the thematic sources and literature. This study consists of two chapters. The first chapter includes a historiographical review of textual sources. In the second chapter the typology is created based on the images of sirens from different illuminated manuscripts, on maps in the atlases, and the images in decorative religious sculpture; furthermore, the patterns of the evolution on a basis of this typology are suggested.