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The Surrealist Menagerie

Strange Beasts & Fantastic Visions
By Desmond Morris
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Brief Description
Explore how animals shaped the Surrealist imagination through the eyes of celebrated zoologist and Surrealist artist Desmond Morris in this fascinating exploration of the natural world. Join renowned zoologist and Surrealist artist Desmond Morris on an uncanny expedition though the animal kingdom as he explores the... Read More
Format: Hardback
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Explore how animals shaped the surrealist imagination through the eyes of celebrated zoologist and surrealist artist Desmond Morris in this fascinating exploration of the natural world.

Explore how animals shaped the Surrealist imagination through the eyes of celebrated zoologist and Surrealist artist Desmond Morris in this fascinating exploration of the natural world.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Explore how animals shaped the Surrealist imagination through the eyes of celebrated zoologist and Surrealist artist Desmond Morris in this fascinating exploration of the natural world.

Join renowned zoologist and Surrealist artist Desmond Morris on an uncanny expedition though the animal kingdom as he explores the many ways that animals prowl, fly and slither through Surrealist art. From Leonora Carrington's hyenas to Salvador Dalí's chimeras, Leonor Fini's cats to Félix Labisse's molluscs, non-human beings became enduring points of fascination for many Surrealist artists; recurring motifs through which they explored new ideas about psychology, transformation and the marvellous. Taking each creature in turn, Morris unpacks how the natural world shaped Surrealist imagination, combining the trained eye of a scientist with his unique insider's perspective to provide extraordinary insight into the symbolism behind some of modern art's wildest works.

More than just a bestiary of the bizarre, The Surrealist Menagerie is a lively and witty celebration of one of the 20th century's most revolutionary movements - a must-read for lovers of Surrealism, zoology and natural history.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780500030578

Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 10 September 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Illustration: 168 Illustrations, color

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 256

Collections

Arts & Culture Desmond Morris Non-Fiction

About the Author

Desmond Morris (1928-2026) was a renowned zoologist and the last member of the surrealist movement. After earning his doctorate at Oxford, he worked for Granada Television and the BBC's natural history unit, presenting over 500 TV programmes. His bestselling book, The Naked Ape, has sold over 20 million copies and ranks among the top 100 bestselling titles of all time. Morris was also the author of The Lives of the Surrealists (2018), Postures: Body Language in Art (2019), The British Surrealists (2022) and 101 Surrealists (2024), all published by Thames & Hudson.

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