Anthropomorphic Taxidermy 

In the ever-evolving world of artistic expression, there exists a niche yet intriguing art form – anthropomorphic taxidermy. This artistry, often regarded as peculiar or unconventional, involves the artful manipulation of deceased animals to mirror human behavior or pose. Despite its unorthodox nature, anthropomorphic taxidermy has a rich history, unique characteristics, and significant influences, all of which contribute to its fascinating appeal. 

The Artistic Nuances of Anthropomorphic Taxidermy 

One of the most appealing characteristics of anthropomorphic taxidermy is its intricate attention to detail. Each piece not only involves the preservation of animals but also encapsulates the essence of human behavior and societal norms. The taxidermist uses the form of the animal to mimic human scenarios, creating a visual narrative that blends reality with whimsy. This skillful manipulation requires a deep understanding of both animal anatomy and human sociology, making it a highly specialized art form. 

Over the years, anthropomorphic taxidermy has exerted considerable influence on various forms of art and pop culture. It has found its way into film, literature, and even fashion. Artists like Damien Hirst have incorporated taxidermy into their work, further propelling its recognition. 

Ethical debate

Just like other types of taxidermy, anthropomorphic taxidermy often stokes ethical debates. The practice involves the use of deceased animals, making it a sensitive area of interest.

Some taxidermists are committed to ethical sourcing of specimens, e.g. by utilizing animals that have died of natural causes.

The History of Anthropomorphic Taxidermy 

Anthropomorphic taxidermy was all the rage during the Victorian era, when it saw its apex in popularity, partly due to the fascination Victorians had with death and the afterlife.

One of the movement’s most notable protagonist in the Victorian era was Walter Potter (1835-1918), a British taxidermist who crafted intricate animal tableaux that marveled and intrigued audiences. His most famous work, “The Kitten’s Wedding,” showcases his signature style of using animals to mirror human behavior.

Two other examples of well-known creators within the field of anthropogenic taxidermy are William Hart and his son Edward Hart. Just like Potter, they rose to prominence in Britian during the Victorian era. Among other things, they created many dioramas featuring boxing squirells. One of the sets that have survived into the 21^st century is a set comprised of four different dioramas, where each diorama shows a different stage of the boxing match. When this set, which was made around the year 1850, was sold at auction in 2013, it was split up and each diorama was sold individually.

Walter Potter and His Anthropomorphic Dioramas

The English taxidermist Walter Potter (1835-1918) became famous for his anthropomorphic dioramas during the Victorian era. Using his taxidermy skills, he created scenes where stuffed and mounted animals would engage in human activities.

Potter displayed a lot of his creations in his own museum in Bramber, Sussex. The museum was well-known in Victorian England, as both anthropomorphic taxidermy and whimsy dioramas were very popular.

About Walter Potter

Walter Potter grew up in Bramber, where his family ran The White Lion pub. After leaving school at the age of 14, Potter began creating taxidermy pieces to entice visitors to come to the pub. One of his first attempts involved preserving the cadaver of his own pet canary.

While creating his artful dioramas, Potter also worked as a more traditional taxidermist to support himself. He married a local girl named Ann Stringer Muzzell and they had three children: Walter, Annie and Minnie.

Mr Potter´s Museum of Curiosities became so popular that special coach trips began to arrive from Brighton, and the Bramber Railway Station received a platform extension to handle the increased traffic.

Potter suffered a stroke in 1914 and died four years later, aged 82. He was burried in Bramber. After his death, the museum – which contained around 10,000 specimens – was taken over by his daughter Minnie and his grandson.

Potter´s creations

Potter was only 19 years old when he created what would become the focal point of his museum, a diorama called “The Death and Burial of Cock Robin”. It included the preserved bodies of 98 species of birds native to Britain and was inspired by an book of illustrated nursery rhymes that his sister Jane had showed him.

The Death and Burial of Cock Robin became such a success that Potter opened a dedicated display in the pub´s summer house in 1861. Five years later, the exhibition was moved to new premises, and again in 1880.

Potter was known for his immense attention to detail, and he even went as far as putting frilly Victorian underwear on some of the stuffed animals instead of letting them be naked under their clothes.

Examples of famous anthropomorphic taxidermy dioramas by Potter:

• The Death and Burial of Cock Robin
• The Kitten´s Tea Party
• A Guinea Pig´s Cricket Match
• A diorama where a rats den is being raided by police rats.
• A diorama where 48 little rabits attend a village shool, writing on tiny slates.
• The Kitten´s Wedding, a dioaram where 20 kittens attend a wedding, dressed in morning suits and brocade dresses, and where the kitten vicar is dressed in a white surplice.

In addition to the anthropomorphic taxidermy, Potter also collected and preserved the cadavers of derformed animals, such as chickens with four legs and lambs with two heads.

The collection in the 20^th and 21^st century

Potter´s collection was kept throughout the 20^th century, even though the public was no longer as interested in it as during the Victorian era, and the museum closed its doors in the 1970s. The pieces were moved first to Brighton and then to Arundel, before being sold in 1984 to the owners of Jamaica Inn in Bolventor, Cornwall. At the Jamaica Inn, it was put on display again, receiving around 30,000 visitors per year.

In 2001, Kitten´s Wedding from 1890 was included in The Victorian Vision exhibition as the Victoria and Albert Museum.

In 2003, unable to find a buyer for the entire collection, the owners permitted it to be auctioned off piece by piece by Bonhams. Some of the pieces went for considerable sums, including The Death and Burial of Cock Robin which was bought for £23,500 and The Kitten´s Wedding which went for for £21,1150. In total, the sale brought in over £500,000.

It was later revealed that Bonhams had rejected an offer by the artist Damien Hirst to purchase the entire collection for £1 million. This prompted the seller to sue Bonhams.

Hirst wrote to The Guardian, citing his appreciation for the displays and said that he had offered Bonhams £1 million and to pay for the cost of the auctioneer’s catalogue, wanting them to take the collection off the market and keep it intact.

Trivia

Works by Potter inspired the British novelist Kate Mosse when writing The Taxidermist´s Daughter. Published in 2014, this gothic thriller is set in 1912 and takes place in Fishbourne and Chichester.

Current Trends in Antropomorphic Taxidermy

In recent years, there has been a resurgence in the popularity of antropomorphic taxidermy, with artists and collectors alike appreciating its historical and artistic significance. The anthropomorphic taxidermy pieces have found a place in art galleries and private collections, appreciated for their unique blend of realism and fiction, death and life. 

One example of a well-known contemporary artist within the field of anthropomorphic taxidermy is the Welsh artist Adele Morse from Caerphilly, whose “Stoned Fox” series became an internent sensation in the early 2010s. The fox, who died of natural causes, was stuffed by her in 2012, as a part of her school work for a Masters course at the Royal Academy of London. Morse put the finnished work up for sale on eBay and from there it went viral. Towards the end of 2012, the Stoned Fox became a meme – especially in Russia – and was edited into famous photographs, paintings, videos, and more.

Sarina Brewer is another artist active in the field of anthropomorphic taxidermy, where she is chiefly known for creating works where co-joined twin squirells and flying monkeys carry out human activities.

Sarina Brewer – Taking Anthropomorphic Taxidermy Into The 21^st Century

Sabrina Brewer (b. 1970) is a United States artists known for her taxidermy works and for being a driving force in a 21^st century artistic taxidermy revival. She is one of the prominent force in the emerging genre known as Rouge Taxidermy, which encompasses not only taxidermy but a variety of mixed-media artistic expression.

Brewer is based in Minneapolis, the largest city in Minnesota, and was educated at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), earning her B.A. in 1993. Her childhood was filled with pets and wildlife, and both her parents are artists. According to Brewer, her art is an extension of her childhood belief in reincarnation, and her sculptures are symbolic bodies for transmigrating animal spritis. Brewer was a volounteer at the biology department at the Science Museum of Minnesota for 10+ years and is also a former wildlife rehabilitator.

Brewer is committed to using ethically procured cadavers and animal materials in her art, including natual deaths and salvaged road kill. During her time at MCAD, she developed a habit of using found objects, including a lot of mummified cadavers which she used to create shrines honoring the dead animal. She learned how to apply gold leafing to animal mummies, a feature that would come to be included in many of her later works as well.

Over the years, Brewer broached out and learned taxidermy. She does not have any formal taxidermy education; she is self-taught. Signifying her break with conventional taxidermy, she – alongside two of her colleagues – coined the term Rouge Taxidermy. The Minnesota Association of Rouge Taxidermist (MART) was established in 2004.

In 2005, MART had its inaugural gallery exhibition and works of art created by the three MART founders appeared on the front page of the New York Times art section, helping to propell the movement into more mainstream recognition.

Final Thoughts About Anthropomorphic Taxidermy

Anthropomorphic taxidermy is indeed an art form that prompts a second look. Its detailed craftmanship, intriguing narrative style, and ethical considerations are all part of its fascinating appeal. Whether it’s a whimsical tableau of poker-playing dogs or a poignant scene of squirrel schoolchildren, this art form pushes the boundaries of conventional artistic expression. It serves as a testament to the intricate, sometimes peculiar, possibilities of creative storytelling, encouraging us to look beyond the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary.