Conclusion

The Cloister of Saint-Genis-des-Fontaines provided a place for religious reflection and engagement in spiritual activities. The outfitting of the Cloister aided these activities with its animal and botanical iconography. For the religious, the cloisters acted as a visual bible, illustrating the triumph of Christ over Satan, depicting biblical stories, and illuminating the wonders of God’s work. By studying natural iconography in a cloister and understanding its meanings with Bestiaries, we can better grasp the religious experience monks would haver undergone in the cloister of Saint-Genis-des-Fontaines.