Taxidermy

With a history rich in methodologies and cultural trends, taxidermy is somewhere between an art form and science. Nearly an abandoned enterprise in the late 20th century, taxidermy is making a comeback with a new generation of taxidermists eager to preserve the natural world.

Embalmed animals have been long been discovered in ancient Egyptian tombs. Taxidermy itself, however, has only existed since the Middles Ages. In the 1700s, methods were somewhat crude, with clay and cotton-wrapped wire used as stuffing under cured animal skins. During this time, Jean Baptist Becoeur developed arsenical soap to preserve skins and keep insects from destroying specimens. His methods were widely used across the next century and proved highly effective in preserving specimens. By the Victorian Era, animal mounts became popular as interior décor. Owning them not only displayed wealth but also cultural diversity and adventurism. In the late 1800s, taxidermy was so important that many U.S. and English towns had a taxidermist, just like they had barbers, butchers, and merchants.

Although the golden age of taxidermy ended around World War I, it remains important to those wanting their hunting and fishing successes put on permanent display. It’s also important for restoring museum displays and extracting DNA from specimens.

Quick Facts

• The decline of taxidermy in the 20th century is attributed partly to the rise in photography and animal guide book availability as well as government-mandated wildlife preservation acts
• Anthromorphic taxidermy is the practice of preserving animals and displaying them in a scene with human-like poses. Maxwell Potter is famous for this style of taxidermy
• The oldest mount in history was supposedly a 16th century rhinoceros at the Royal Museum of Vertebrates in Florence, Italy. No evidence of the rhino exists today, and some dispel its existence as a myth