Oudry's Painted Menagerie: Portraits of Exotic Animals in Eighteenth-Century Europe

Abstract

This is an exquisitely illustrated exploration of portraits of Louis XV's royal menagerie at Versailles. Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686-1755) was one on the most popular and respected artists of his generation, working not only with paints but also as a tapestry designer and highly respected illustrator. Oudry's Painted Menagerie is a beautifully illustrated volume that focuses on the series of life-size portraits he painted of the animals in Louis XV's royal menagerie at Versailles - including a tiger, a lion, a leopard, and Clara the rhinoceros who was a public sensation when she 'toured' Europe. Intelligent and insightful essays place the paintings within the context of career, as well as discussing his remarkable animal drawings, and present a fascinating history on the popularity of menageries.

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