This museum too is part of the department of biology, low rooms filled with stolid wood and glass cases that enclose a provocative collection of mounted species. I remember immediately a pack of cards featuring 180 mammals, which my brothers and I incessantly flashed in each other's faces. Most of our old friends are seen here, dik-dik to jereboa, mole to platypus.
Here are a few of the sketches I did, some in the museum, some later from forbidden photos. It's a style I also learned from my dad, who showed me how to draw animals like this when I was only 4 or 5. Certain meditations on the taxidermist/artist's need to suggest life in its absolute absence echo through this museum, also in the famous wax anatomical figures in the adjoining room.
Little cat, little dogHyena
Monkey
A hedgehog and a tasmanian devil
Grebe
Gazelle
Desert dog
Civet
Rat
Mouse
3 comments:
Steve,
Now I don't feel quite as disappointed about missing the Specola, because your wonderful animal sketches made up for it! Also loved the stories.
Thanks for sharing them; enjoyed meeting you and Vickie.
My animals are at www.desertdada.com.
Carolyn Schmitz
These drawings are great, Steve! Thanks for posting them. I love this museum too. It's too bad they didn't have all their aquariums set up when we went. They had just received a huge shipment of fish and were in the process of introducing them into their new tanks.
The garden behind the building was very cool too with two, small ponds with frogs! I got pics of th pond but not the frogs. Very elusive critters.
Thanks again for posting your wonderful drawings.
Jeff
It's intriguing how sometimes the smallest comment from a parent can change the course of a life. In your case, of course, you seem to have had a lovely and long-lasting connection to mystery through your father.
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