The Surrealist Menagerie

Strange Beasts & Fantastic Visions
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, his final book.

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 Carringtons hyenas to Salvador Dals chimeras, Leonor Finis cats to Flix Labisses 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 insiders perspective to provide extraordinary in