WHY THE LION IS RED

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 6, 6 July 1929, Page 18

WHY THE LION IS RED

Many people have wondered yvhj the creatures on tavern signs in England and Europo are painted in such odd colours. A lion is tawny in real life, but on a sign board he is always red or blue. Boars, cows, and dolphinß appear in tho same flaming hues. Mr. Lawrence Tanner says that the answer can be found in the library of Westminster Abbey. Eere is a little volume, 700 years old, containing pictures of some very odd creatures indeed, and known aa the Beasts Book. It must be one of the oldest natural history books in the land, and many such, books were made in medieval days, aud to suit the love of coloui then their pages had to be brilliant. When men wore crimson cloaks and purple gowns, and kings dined in halls hung with banners, and even tombs were gaily painted, who would have cared for a book of tawny lions and erev boars? - Prom these books, Bays Mr. Tanner, the creatures got on to tavern signs. It is easy to imagine an artist of the fourteenth century feeling a little embarrassed when he was commissioned to paint a lion. He had never seen one, but ho could not afford to refuse the work. Then perhaps ho asked a brother, painter, "What is a lion like? Is it anything like a bull?" c "I should say it was more like an otter," tho other would tcply. "But holdli There is a Book of Beasts at the Abbey. If you speak the monks fair, perhaps they will let you copy With such a book of reference to rely on our artißt had no hesitation in painting a lion red, and the innkeeper had no doubt that it was lifelike.