Monsters captivated the imagination of medieval men and women, just as they continue to fascinate us today. Drawing on the Morgan Library & Museumâs superb collection of illuminated manuscripts, this major exhibitionâ the first of its kind in North Americaâwill explore the complex social role of monsters in the Middle Ages. Medieval Monsters will lead visitors through three sections based on the ways monsters functioned in medieval societies. âTerrorsâ explores how monsters enhanced the aura of those in power, be they rulers, knights, or saints. A second section, âAliens,â demonstrates how marginalized groups in European societiesâsuch as Jews, Muslims, women, the poor, and the disabledâwere further alienated by being figured as monstrous. The final section, âWonders,â considers a group of strange beauties and frightful anomalies that populated the medieval world. Whether employed in ornamental, entertaining, or contemplative settings, these fantastic beings were meant to inspire a sense of marvel and awe in their viewers.
Medieval Monsters is organized by the Morgan Library & Museum, New York.

Siren, from Les Abus du Monde, ca. 1510, France, Rouen, 20 cm x 13 cm, The Morgan Library & Museum, purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837 – 1913) in 1899, MS M.42 fol. 15r