Site banner

Masked ball. J.-J. Grandville, from “Un autre monde” by Taxile Delord, Paris: 1844 #illustration #art www.oldbookillustrations.com/illustrat… (via @oldbookillustrations@mastodon.social)

A surreal and whimsical illustration featuring a gathering of bizarre, anthropomorphic creatures with human-like faces and animal bodies. At the centre, a goat-headed figure with a bearded human face stands next to a bird-like creature with a bright red body. Surrounding them are various fantastical beings: a humanoid figure with a long nose and downturned expression, a bear-like creature with a human face reclining on the right, and a bug-like character wearing a golden helmet in the foreground. In the background, more creatures crowd together, including an elephant with wings and a yellow trumpet-like trunk, a bird-headed figure, and a mix of furry and birdlike beings. Above them, a solemn human-faced figure crouches on a trapeze, holding a trident, flanked by two high poles with decorative tips. Scattered masks and disembodied faces appear on the ground. The scene is chaotic and dreamlike, framed by thin, bare trees and swirling line art in the background.
*****
Written on