Creation of the Animals, panel from Grabow Altarpiece

Master Bertram knew exactly how to employ the relatively limited space of the individual altar panels in order to populate the biblical story with a maximum of incident. He was less concerned with a realistic portrayal of the objects than with the manner of their presentation. In the Creation of the Animals, fish rise from the waters and float upwards. Above them, a swan, a rooster, a peacock, and a goldfinch are arranged in ascending order.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 12 minutes): Joseph Haydn: The Creation, introduction and aria