What lies beneath? Pictish Monsters and the Living Frame

Find out all about Pictish monsters in this talk by Heather Pulliam, Professor of Medieval Art at Edinburgh School of Art

Medieval art is known for its monsters, but Pictish art seems to take it to the next level. Drawn from her new book, “Art, Nature and the Body in Early Medieval Art” (Cambridge University Press, 2026), Heather’s talk addresses the many questions raised by the monsters that crawl, slither, and climb across the sculptural surfaces of Pictish art. While her focus is primarily on sculpture, she also considers the Book of Kells and the Book of Deer. The talk begins by asking what a monster is, and what it means to be monstrous. It then turns to ask: What do Pictish monsters do for Pictish art? Why do they feature on so many monuments, in so many positions on these monuments, including places normally reserved in medieval art for the most sacred and divine figures? Finally, it briefly considers how the settings of these monuments might help us better understand the role of monsters in Pictish art.

This lecture is our Annual Academic Lecture, part of the Groam House Museum lecture series for 2026.