Recognising saints: animals and the body

Attributes are symbols which are used by artists to represent particular saints. They are often drawn from an event in the saint's life.

Test your knowledge – can you identify the saints below from their symbols?  

Animals

Detail from Paolo Uccello, 'Saint George and the Dragon', about 1470
Recognising saints: dragon
Which saint is famous for slaying a dragon?
Detail from German, South, 'Saint John on Patmos', about 1460-70
Recognising saints: eagle
Which saint is often symbolised by an eagle?
Detail from Hans Memling, 'Saint John the Baptist', about 1480
Recognising saints: lamb
Discover which saint is traditionally represented by a lamb
Detail from Bono da Ferrara, Saint Jerome in a Landscape, about 1440
Recognising saints: lion
Find out which saint pulled a thorn from a lion's paw

The body

Detail from Carlo Crivelli, 'Saint Lucy', about 1476
Recognising saints: eyes
Who removed her eyes to avoid marriage to a pagan?
Detail from Botticelli, 'Saint Francis of Assisi with Angels', about 1475-80
Recognising saints: stigmata
Which saint was miraculously marked by the stigmata during a vision?
Detail from Lucas Cranach the Elder: 'Saints Genevieve and Apollonia from The St Catherine Altarpiece: Reverses of Shutters', 1506
Recognising saints: tooth and pincers
Find out which saint had her teeth extracted as part of her martyrdom

More attributes: objects