"Strive to put your mounted animals in easy natural poses unless you are making a grotesque, in which case go the length." - A.B. Farnum 1944

Anthropomorphic taxidermy caricature work was popularized in the Victorian era.  One of the masters was Walter Potter, of Bramber, Sussex, who specialized in grand scaled, complex tableaux.  His Kitten Wedding played out this very human drama utilizing 20 kittens.

Potter was believed to have been inspired by the work of Hermann Ploucquet whose exhibit at the Crystal Palace Great Exposition of 1851 delighted Queen Victoria.  

Other examples of Victorian & Edwardian anthropomorphic grotesques can be seen here.  Click  here to see Henry Gerrard & Paul Henning's 1945 version of Who Killed Cock Robin.

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The taxidermic novelty work of North America commonly consists of occupation/character specific, humorously posed rodents. Personally, I find their charm and humor rather short lived.  

With my grotesques, I strive to leave room for the imagination, drawing inspiration from the fairy tales that were my refuge and the fever dreams of an anxious childhood.