Cohen (art history, Tel-Aviv U.) bridges an art historical gap in this scholarly study of the persistence of animal interpretations and symbolism from medieval to Renaissance art with a particular focus on Italian Renaissance artists. A first section discusses the sources of the imagery in the medieval and Renaissance eras, though the vast majority of the title is taken with case studies of particular pieces and artists such as Carpaccio, Titian, del Sarto, and Bronzino. This important work is meticulously researched and produced and will be integral to future studies on the topic. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)