Rabbits Everywhere

Book excerpt: Author Alicia Ezpeleta explores the surprisingly complex lore and mystique surrounding rabbits, beginning with a brief introduction placing the animals in cultural, artistic, and popular context, followed by a look at the often contradictory symbolism surrounding them. ONe learns, for example, that during the Middle Ages the creatures were both feared as harbingers of evil and revered as symbols of fertility. THe author then presents an amazingly diverse array of rabbits in art - from pastoral to literary to delightfully decorative. SHe closes with an overview of rabbits in the world of children, represented in everything from carousels to toys to beloved children's books. THe 146 illustrations, 82 of them in color, include all the great hares of history: from the seasonal Easter Bunny and the March Hare, to the clever and inquisitive Br'er Rabbit of folklore and the mischievous Peter Rabbit of children's tales, to the manic Roger Rabbit of the silver screen and that classic cartoon wise guy, Bugs Bunny. AMong the many images are Egyptian hieroglyphics and Roman coins, medieval manuscripts and Renaissance watercolors, modern paintings and sculpture, tapestries and quilts, jewelry, decorative objects, and much more. A Selected bibliography and index complete this appealing book, a must for rabbit fanciers everywhere.