Papier-mâché Elephant for the Saint Petersburg Kunstkamera
- Authors: Fedotova A.A1
-
Affiliations:
- Vavilov Institute for the History of Science and Technology, Saint Petersburg Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
- Issue: No 11 (2023)
- Pages: 61-66
- Section: Articles
- URL: https://journals.eco-vector.com/0032-874X/article/view/627866
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.7868/S0032874X2311008X
- ID: 627866
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Abstract
The museum of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Saint Petersburg) exhibits a taxidermy piece and a skeleton of an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758), mounted in 1806–1807 for Saint Petersburg Kunstkamera. The technique and the anatomical accuracy of this taxidermy piece are exceptional for the early 19th century. The name of the maker was considered lost. However, analyzes of the archival documents revealed that the taxidermy piece was mounted by a papier-mâché artist Carl Thimpont, and the skeleton was constructed under the supervision of anatomist Piotr Zaslavsky. The drawings by anatomist Petrus Camper from his book of 1802 provided a theoretical basis for both of them. The elephant itself was a diplomatic gift from the Emir of Bukhara to Catharine the Great. The animal was kept in the imperial menagerie since 1796 to 1806.
About the authors
A. A Fedotova
Vavilov Institute for the History of Science and Technology, Saint Petersburg Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
Email: f-anastasia@yandex.ru
Saint Petersburg, Russia
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