Desmond Morris

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.

The amazing story of one man’s obsession with an enigmatic and deadly reptile. Raymond Ditmars (1876?1942), the first curator of reptiles at New York’s famous Bronx Zoo, brought cold-blooded animals to public attention as never before. Through wildly successful books and movies, he inspired a generation of zoologists with his fascination for snakes, insects, and other misunderstood creatures. Ditmars was among the most celebrated naturalists in America. His reptile-collecting trips for the zoo spawned newspaper headlines across the world. Although a serpent lover, he was all too aware of the devastating effects of snakebites and was instrumental in the development of antivenom. His films and writings brought him fame, but he remained a devoted zoo employee, doing what he loved most: caring for animals. Bushmaster tells the story of this remarkable man and what became an obsession with the mysterious bushmaster of the South American rainforest. Measuring up to thirteen feet in length, this is the world’s largest viper, and its scientific name, Lachesis muta, translates as ?silent fate.” Despite numerous expeditions to jungles from Honduras to Brazil, Ditmars could never capture a bushmaster for himself. Now, British author Dan Eatherley follows in Ditmars’s footsteps, revisiting his early haunts in the United States and South America. He attempts to do what Ditmars himself failed to achieve: to find a bushmaster in the wild. But eighty years later, will Dan have any more luck? Through the author’s own quest, Bushmaster reveals the life of a pioneer herpetologist, wildlife filmmaker, and zoo curator.

Skandalnaja "Golaja obezjana" - jarchajshij simvol epokhi shestidesjatykh, - okazavshaja znachitelnoe vlijanie na formirovanie vzgljadov zapadnogo sotsiuma i vyderzhavshaja bolee dvadtsati pereizdanij, ee obschij tirazh prevysil 10 millionov ekzempljarov. V dostupnoj i uvlekatelnoj forme ee avtor izlozhil originalnuju versiju proiskhozhdenija cheloveka razumnogo, a takzhe togo, kak drevnie zverinye instinkty, zhivotnoe nachalo v kazhdom iz nas opredeljajut razvitie sovremennogo chelovecheskogo obschestva.

V avtorskij sbornik odnogo iz samykh populjarnykh i originalnykh sovremennykh uchenykh, znamenitogo britanskogo zoologa Desmonda Morrisa, voshli glavnye trudy, prinesshie emu mirovuju izvestnost: skandalnaja "Golaja obezjana" - jarchajshij simvol epokhi shestidesjatykh, okazavshaja znachitelnoe vlijanie na formirovanie vzgljadov zapadnogo sotsiuma i vyderzhavshaja bolee dvadtsati pereizdanij, ee obschij tirazh prevysil 10 millionov ekzempljarov. V dostupnoj i uvlekatelnoj forme ee avtor izlozhil originalnuju versiju proiskhozhdenija cheloveka razumnogo, a takzhe togo, kak drevnie zverinye instinkty, zhivotnoe nachalo v kazhdom iz nas opredeljajut razvitie sovremennogo chelovecheskogo obschestva; "Ljudskoj zverinets" - svoego roda prodolzhenie nashumevshego bestsellera, takzhe imevshee ogromnyj uspekh i perevedennoe na desjatki jazykov, i "Osnovnoj instinkt" - podrobnejshee issledovanie i analiz vsekh vidov chelovecheskikh prikosnovenij, ot rukopozhatij do seksualnykh objatij. V svoe vremja raboty Morrisa proizveli nastojaschij furor kak v nauchnykh krugakh, tak i sredi shirokoj obschestvennosti. Do sikh por vokrug ego knig ne utikhajut spory.

A concise compendium of the lives and work of the 101 most significant Surrealists by one of the last surviving members of the movement, bestselling author and artist Desmond Morris, who knew several of the key participants personally. 2024 marks the centenary of Surrealism, one of the most influential artistic movements of the modern era. In 1924, André Breton wrote the Surrealist Manifesto, a call to arms which established Surrealism as a literary and artistic movement. Rather than attempting to analyse the work of the Surrealists, bestselling author and Surrealist artist Desmond Morris focuses on them as remarkable individuals. What were their personalities, their predilections, their character strengths and flaws? Did they enjoy a social life or were they loners? Were they bold eccentrics or timid recluses? Featuring 101 artists, from the famous – Duchamp, Dali, Magritte, Miro, Carrington, Kahlo, Picabia, Ernst and others – to the neglected – Mesens, Rimmington, Sage, Fini, Bellmer, Colquhoun and Gonzalez – this book draws on the author’s personal knowledge of the Surrealists, capturing in concise form their life histories, idiosyncrasies and often-complex love lives. Surrealism was both spectacular and international, shaped by the darkest, most irrational workings of the unconscious. Shocking, witty and always entertaining, Morris's potted summaries and punchy anecdotes illuminate striking variations in artistic approach to the Surrealist philosophy, both in the artists’ works and lives. A complement to Morris's earlier biographical volumes, 101 Surrealists encapsulates each artist in new and abridged texts that convey with immediacy the impact and significance of each of the 101 artists featured.

How intelligent are horses? Why do they toss their heads and what makes them paw the ground? After spending more than twenty years studying the body language of the human species, Desmond Morris turned his attention to the behavior of some of our closest animal companions. First he looked at dogs, then cats, and in this book, horses. As Curator of Mammals at the London Zoo he was able to study closely the zebras and wild horse in his charge. More recently, as a racehorse owner, he scrutinized the glamorous world of Thoroughbred racing. Throughout his long involvement with horses, Desmond Morris has never stopped asking questions. In Horsewatching, first published in 1988, he set out to answer them. As a zoologist and a lifelong student of animal behavior, he approaches the horse world in an unusual way, dealing with topics often ignored in equine literature. In addition to examining details of behavior, Dr Morris considers such questions as why horseshoes bring good luck, why we don’t eat horses, why jockeys are allowed to whip their mounts and why we call a bad dream a nightmare. And for punters everywhere, he applies his zoological mind to the all-important question of why some horses run faster than others.

The lives, loves and works of key British Surrealists revealed by one of the last surviving members of this movement, bestselling author and artist Desmond Morris. Fêted for their idiosyncratic and imaginative works, the surrealists marked a pivotal moment in the history of modern art in Britain. Many banded together to form the British Surrealist Group, while others carved their own, independent paths. Here, bestselling author and surrealist artist Desmond Morris - one of the last surviving members of this important art movement - draws on his personal memories and experiences to present the intriguing life stories and complex love lives of this wild and curious set of artists. From the unpredictability of Francis Bacon to the rebelliousness of Leonora Carrington, from the beguiling Eileen Agar to the ‘brilliant’ Ceri Richards, Morris brings his subjects’ foibles and frailties to the fore. His vivid account is laced with his inimitable wit, and profusely illustrated by images of the artists and their artworks. Featuring thirty-four surrealists - some famous, some forgotten - Morris’s intimate book takes us back in time to a generation that allowed its creative unconscious to drive their passions in both art and life. With 105 illustrations

"Paljas ahv" pani pool sajandit tagasi aluse evolutsioonist ja loomade, sealhulgas inimese käitumisest kõnelevate populaarteaduslike raamatute trendile. Autor kirjeldab siin otsekoheselt ja ülima detailsusega inimlooma päritolu ning tema seksuaalsuse, järglaste kasvatamise, avastamishimu, võitlemise, toitumise ning enese ja liigikaaslaste hooldamisega seotud käitumismustreid, peatudes viimaks ka meie suhetel teiste loomaliikidega - ning näidates, et inimene on kogu oma erakordsusest hoolimata ennekõike siiski ahv, kelle kõige keerukamaidki käitumismustreid kujundavad eeskätt päritolu ning loomalik ellujäämis- ja paljunemistung. Teos, mida paljud teadus- ja usuinimesed pidasid algul skandaalseks ja inimesi alandavaks, mõjub tänapäevalgi värskelt, aukartusetult ja kainestavalt. Seda on tõlgitud kümnetesse keeltesse ja müüdud enam kui 12 miljonit eksemplari. Desmond Morris (snd 1928) on inglise zooloog, etoloogia ühe alusepanija Niko Tinbergeni õpilane ja kolleeg. Ta on töötanud nii Oxfordi ülikoolis kui ka Londoni zooloogiaseltsi imetajate kollektsiooni kuraatorina. Ta on kirjutanud loomadest ligi poolsada raamatut ning leidnud tunnustust ka nendest kõnelevate telesaadete ja filmide tegijana.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

No other art movement in history has contained two artists as different as Magritte and Miró. This is because Surrealism was not in origin an art movement, but a philosophical strategy. It was a way of life – a rebellion against the establishment that had given the world the hideous slaughter of the First World War. Instead of trying to analyse the work of the Surrealists, bestselling author and Surrealist artist Desmond Morris concentrates on them as people – as remarkable individuals. What were their personalities, their predilections, their character strengths and flaws? Did they enjoy a social life or were they loners? Were they bold eccentrics or timid recluses? Drawing on the author’s personal knowledge of the Surrealists, this book captures their life histories, idiosyncrasies and often-complex love lives, vividly illustrated with images of the artists and their works. The arts of Surrealism were both spectacular and international, shaped by the darkest, most irrational workings of the unconscious. Shocking, witty and always entertaining, Morris's tales illuminate the striking variation in approaches to the Surrealist philosophy, both in the artists’ work and in their lives. With 72 illustrations

Examining the body language displayed in works of art is a whole new way of looking at art. The gestures portrayed can reflect the mores of a particular period in history, the customs of a certain culture or a fashion in artistic styles. Exploring these with masterful subtlety, celebrated artist and anthropologist Desmond Morris uncovers fascinating insights about changing social attitudes and conventions through history and around the world, finding surprising similarities as well as now rarely used gestures. Morris selects a number of key gestures, such as the handshake, the pointed foot, or the glove-slap, and groups them by the message they are intended to convey, such as Greetings, Status and Threats. He discusses the previously unconsidered symbolism behind these. What is understood as a gang sign today may have borne a more enigmatic meaning for Botticelli. And what did Napoleon’s hidden hand really mean? Postures: Body Language in Art uniquely combines the author’s expertise in both art and social science, so that even the most familiar paintings are suddenly seen in a new light.

A lavishly illustrated revised edition of the 70s cult book, updated by the author and with a bold new design and contemporary images. Before Franklin Foer, Bill Bryson, and Simon Kuper wrote about soccer, best-selling author and highly respected academic Desmond Morris became a director of a soccer club in order to properly analyse the world s most popular sport. In this revelatory book, Morris shares his experiences, guiding the reader through the marked tribal components of soccer, from the life of a team, the players, and their supporters to its symbols, rites, and rules. The Soccer Tribe is a tribute to the game, seen from the perspective of a lifelong fan and specialist. The book is divided into forty-four short chapters, each examining a vital aspect of the life of the Soccer Tribesmen. Included are Rituals (the taboos and punishments, goals and strategies); Heroes (their skills and superstitions, triumphs and defeats); Trappings (balls, costumes, banners and badges, trophies and medals); Elders (directors and referees, managers and trainers); Followers (old and young, celebrities and fans); and the Tribal Tongue (chants and slogans, cheers and curses). From Liverpool to Lyon, Bayern to Barcelona, and Manchester to Milan, Morris passionately dissects and examines every detail, all the way to the jerseys and stadium songs.

I den gennemillustrerede Surrealisternes liv, med portrætter af kunstnerne og deres kendte kunstværker, giver Desmond Morris et personligt, rørende, humoristisk og først og fremmest vidende portræt af de 32 mest fremtrædende kunstnere i den surrealistiske kreds omkring André Breton i 20’erne, 30’erneog 40’erne. Wilhelm Freddie, Dalí, Man Ray, Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp og Magritte er bare nogen af de kunstnere, som bliver portrætteret i bogen – en helt forrygende samling kunstnere, som var forenet om det samme projekt … at gøre hverdagen og kunsten lidt mere surrealistisk. Surrealismens kunst bliver mere og mere populær i disse år, og tusindvis af museumsgæster flokkes til udstillinger om Dalí, Magritte, Francis Bacon og Picasso. De syrede og smukke værker, som ofte har drømmeagtige landskaber, mærkelige væsener og bizarre sammensætninger, sælges for rekordbeløb verden over, og surrealismen indeholder formodentligt den mest intense samling kunstnere nogensinde i én isme. Kunstnere, der laver så syret kunst, har ofte en syret personlighed, og en stor del af bogen beskriver også surrealisternes outrerede seksuelle tilbøjeligheder, mærkelige happenings og generelt pudsige indfald. Surrealisternes liv – en meget, meget underholdende bog.