La Ménagerie surréaliste

ONLY AVAILABLE IN FRENCH

Join renowned zoologist and artist Desmond Morris on his journey of discovery through Surrealism, in search of the animals that roam, fly, crawl, and populate the fascinating paintings of this art movement. From Leonora Carrington’s hyenas to Salvador Dalí’s chimeras, from Leonor Fini’s cats to Félix Labisse’s mollusks: non-human beings were a source of fascination for many Surrealist artists. Through these recurring motifs, they were able to explore new ideas in the fields of psychology, metamorphosis, and the miraculous. During this strange and captivating expedition, Morris examines each of these creatures as they were reinterpreted by artists such as Max Ernst, René Magritte, Dorothea Tanning, and Remedios Varo. By combining his keen scientific eye with his insider perspective, he offers us unparalleled insight into the symbolism behind some of the most extravagant works of modern art. The Surrealist menagerie is more than just a collection of bizarre animals; It is a lively and witty ode to one of the most revolutionary movements of the 20th century – an absolute must-read for lovers of surrealism, zoology, and natural history.

Desmond Morris is a renowned zoologist and the last surviving member of the surrealist movement. He worked for the BBC Natural History Unit, for which he presented more than 500 programs. His bestseller, The Naked Ape (1967), has been translated into twenty-three languages. Desmond Morris is also the author of The Human Zoo (1970), Let's Talk Cats (1988), The Language of Body Language (1994), and The Naked Woman (2005).