When it comes to art, certain animals are known to symbolize certain faults or strength in humans. For instance the bat is a symbol for night. But in the Western society, it is a symbol of something evil. We would connect bats to vampires. However, in a country like China, a bat is a symbol of good luck and long life.

The early Christians considered bats to be birds of the Devil as they bear a strong resemblance to rats and they are nocturnal. Thus, bats were considered to be symbol of fear of the powers that darkness and chaos had. Albrecht Durer created an engraving entitled Melencholia I in 1514 that shows a bat with open wings. The name of the engraving means the first state of melancholy.

Likewise toads are seen as creatures that are unclean. Because a toad ejects a poison that irritates the eyes and skin, it is viewed as a symbol of death. In fact, in mythology, toads are animals that are connected with the Devil. There is reference about toads in the Bible as one of the plagues that descended on Egypt. The painting The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch shows a woman who has a toad encircling her breast and has an ass who is her partner. The woman is Superbia, which is Latin for pride. Therefore, we can say that the toad is art is a symbol of depravity.

The hedgehog was considered to be a symbol of gluttony. According to a legend, the hedgehog gathers a fruit on its spines and walks away carrying more food that it needs. However, today, the hedgehog is seen as a symbol of gentleness and friendliness with those who can be trusted.

In early Christianity, the pig was a symbol of lust, greed and gluttony. Saint Anthony the Great is often depicted as an old man carrying a staff and being associated with a pig. This symbolized his victory over the demon of gluttony. The painting entitled The Visitation with Saint Nicholas and Saint Anthony Abbot by Piero di Cosimo shows just a pig in the background. However, today, pigs are considered to be symbols of wealth and savings. Remember the piggy bank you had as a child?