Mythological Beasts And Spirits: Hippogriff

In the sky, they flew and galloped while cavorting overhead,
Carried on each horse’s body eagle’s wings and eagle’s head.
From: The Staff in the Tree by Robert Lambert Jones III

The Hippogriff had the front half of an eagle and the hind half of a horse. As the above imagery and verses imply, I have taken some liberties by giving this creature the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a horse. I did this because it was easier for me to draw with my limited technique and because I found it easier to use in rhyme.

This mythological beast appeared on heraldic coats of arms, and its symbolism is varied. In Greek mythology, it was the symbol of Apollo. In later heraldry, it represented such things as love or the dual nature of Christ. Hippogriffs were sometimes considered the incarnation of evil spirits. This flexibility of meaning left me with plenty of wiggle room for my own story, and I felt free to make things up. I enjoy re-imagining older concepts.

Shown below are two representations from Orlando furioso, a poem written by Ludovico Ariosto.

Roger delivrant Angelique (1824) by Louis-Edouard Riouit.

Illustration by Gustave Dore from Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto.

More people are probably familiar with Buckbeak from the Harry Potter series of movies from Warner Brothers.

Credit: Warner Brothers

Val Jones working on a model of Buckbeak for Warner Brothers.

Now that you’ve seen what professionals can do, I’ll end with another of my amateurish drawings from The Staff in the Tree.

“Who consumes this fallen carnage of the armies from the east?
Here the Hippogriffs will gather. Here the Hippogriffs will feast.”
From: The Staff in the Tree by Robert Lambert Jones III

Sometimes I wonder, but my technique might have improved a little since sixth grade. More next week.