Taxidermy - what is it? You must have seen stuffed birds, fish, animals in the office of a hunter or fisherman. But most often they can be seen in the walls of museums. For the first time in the Russian Empire, stuffed animals appeared in the Kunstkamera on the orders of Peter I. Somewhat later, they began to study the manufacture of stuffed animals and try to reproduce the works of foreign masters. The first taxidermy guide was translated and published.
Taxidermy - what is it?
Let’s figure out what this word means. Taxidermy - a scientific discipline that studies the manufacture of stuffed animals, the process itself is also called.
Author taxidermy is a rather rare hobby. It requires significant financial costs, as well as the availability of special knowledge and skills.
Taxidermy - what is it, no matter how the opportunity to save hunting and fishing trophies for yourself and descendants? Stuffed animals can not only decorate the interior of the house, but also become an indispensable element of the decor of a theme restaurant.
History
Surprisingly, taxidermy appeared in ancient times. The first skinning skills were mastered in primitive times. Sorcerers and shamans used animal heads, paws, tails in their rituals.
The great successes in taxidermy were achieved by the ancient Egyptians. Following the owner in the afterlife, his pets were to follow, so in the tomb you can find their stuffed animals.
The history of taxidermy in its modern form dates back to the 16th century. It was at this time that the oldest stuffed rhinoceros to date was made. There was no captured culture in Russia, and the first stuffed animals were brought from Europe by order of Peter I in 1698. This marked the beginning of domestic taxidermy.
In the 19th century, thanks to the development of sciences, taxidermists received new materials at their disposal. This allowed to raise the quality of stuffed animals to a new level.
Taxidermy as an Art
Taxidermy - what is it: craft or art? The work of a taxidermist cannot be put on stream. Making each stuffed animal requires an individual approach and a lot of work. The best works can be seen in museums, at special exhibitions and taxidermy competitions.
A true artist does not just pull the skin of an animal on the frame. He creates the plot, endows the animal with character, repeats its natural plastic. The specialist studies the habits of the animal, because it is important not only to accurately depict the appearance, but also to recreate its dynamics and energy.
A good taxidermist not only knows the anatomy of the animal very well, but also carefully thinks through the composition. Planning can take more than one day. Taxidermy work requires a lot of perseverance, care and accuracy.
Animals have almost no facial muscles, so their character can not simply be conveyed by expression on the face. To make the beast angry, aggressive is quite simple - you need to bare your teeth. But in order to portray the animal as playful, alert, calm, you need to subtly feel the dynamics of the body, to have the talent of a sculptor.
How to become a taxidermy?
Many believe that almost any hunter can independently make a stuffed animal out of their prey. But this is an erroneous opinion. In order to become a taxidermy, you need to acquire specific knowledge and skills.
To make a stuffed animal of good quality, you need to study for more than one year. And the amateur crafts are easy to distinguish from the work of a real master. Products made at a low level resemble moth-bumped skins, and the expression of the muzzle of such stuffed animals can be very comical. If you look at the work performed qualitatively, you get the impression that the animal is about to come to life.
Taxidermy, which began its development as a craft, today is one of the areas of art that does not lose its fans. In order to become a taxidermy, you need:
- be neat and assiduous;
- possess knowledge in anatomy, zoology, good knowledge of animal habits;
- know chemistry;
- have the talent of a sculptor, without this you can’t convey the grace of a wild animal;
- have the talent of an artist, drawing will help to think through the composition.
As you can see, the craft of taxidermy is difficult to master, and such specialists are quite rare.
Who orders stuffed animals?
Who is the client of taxidermy studio today? Making stuffed animals is most often made to order. The circle of consumers of this rare product is very narrow, but rich. First and foremost, stuffed animals are valued at hunting clubs. They are often bought as a gift to hunters. Such a trophy can become a kind of talisman that brings good luck.
Also, frequent buyers of taxidermy works are interior designers. Scarecrows surrounded by old rifles, paintings with hunting scenes create a unique atmosphere in a country house, and it is difficult to imagine a room with a fireplace without the skins lying on the floor.
You can see stuffed animals in restaurants, bars, cafes. Often they give the name to the institution.
But the tradition of ordering a scarecrow of a deceased pet has not taken root with us. Such orders are extremely rare, and many masters are reluctant to work with cats and dogs.
The most popular trophies are wild boar, roe deer, deer, duck, pheasant, capercaillie, owl, pike, zander, perch.
How to make a scarecrow?
A modern taxidermy studio is like a sculptor’s workshop. First, the taxidermist thinks over the exposure, the pose of the animal. Sketches and sculpts small plasticine figures. In the likeness of the most successful model, full-size foam plastic mannequins are made. Taxidermy received a new impetus to development precisely with the beginning of the application of such technology. Today, no one is stuffing stuffed animals with cotton wool and sawdust.
The skin is prepared in a special workshop, put on a mannequin, tinted and mounted on a pedestal. Eyes used to be turned out of plexiglass, but today more and more often ready-made ones are bought. In special catalogs, you can choose accessories of any size and color.
Arriving in the workshop and orders for the restoration of ancient stuffed animals from museum displays. An exhibit made in accordance with all the rules can be stored with proper care up to 200 years.