Beauty in death: The men who’ve turned taxidermy into strangely beguiling art

Jake Wallis Simons, for CNN
4 minute read
Updated 4:53 AM EDT, Wed July 1, 2015
Whether you think stuffed animals are cool, beautiful, or downright disturbing, this is taxidermy like you've never seen it before.
Darwin's Menagerie —
Whether you think stuffed animals are cool, beautiful, or downright disturbing, this is taxidermy like you've never seen it before.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Ferry van Tongeren and Jaap Sinke are a pair of Dutch artists that use traditional taxidermy methods to produce flamboyant yet retro effects.
Darwin's Menagerie —
Ferry van Tongeren and Jaap Sinke are a pair of Dutch artists that use traditional taxidermy methods to produce flamboyant yet retro effects.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
They take taxidermy to a new level, incorporating a variety of techniques and approaches that are normally found in fine art.
Darwin's menagerie —
They take taxidermy to a new level, incorporating a variety of techniques and approaches that are normally found in fine art.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Their work sells for between £2,000 ($3,130) and £25,000 ($39,200), and can be even more expensive for special commissions.
Darwin's Menagerie —
Their work sells for between £2,000 ($3,130) and £25,000 ($39,200), and can be even more expensive for special commissions.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Although it draws upon traditional techniques and tropes, it subverts them, elevating the pieces to the level of true art.
Darwin's menagerie —
Although it draws upon traditional techniques and tropes, it subverts them, elevating the pieces to the level of true art.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
The pieces take on a statue-like quality, and are in many cases closer to sculpture than taxidermy.
Darwin's Menagerie —
The pieces take on a statue-like quality, and are in many cases closer to sculpture than taxidermy.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
They have also created a number of photographs of the animals' skins while they were being washed in chemicals.
Darwin's Menagerie —
They have also created a number of photographs of the animals' skins while they were being washed in chemicals.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
When the skin is suspended, it almost seems to be re-animated. This, they say, can create a particularly eerie, lifelike effect.
Darwin's Menagerie —
When the skin is suspended, it almost seems to be re-animated. This, they say, can create a particularly eerie, lifelike effect.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Many of their pieces are birds, often with exceptionally bright plumage.
Darwin's menagerie —
Many of their pieces are birds, often with exceptionally bright plumage.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
The pair are attracted to exotic birds because of the vivid colors, which they view as an exquisite raw material.
Darwin's Menagerie —
The pair are attracted to exotic birds because of the vivid colors, which they view as an exquisite raw material.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Van Tongeren points out the colors that naturally occur in the animal kingdom hold a vividness that is difficult to achieve even with modern paints.
Darwin's menagerie —
Van Tongeren points out the colors that naturally occur in the animal kingdom hold a vividness that is difficult to achieve even with modern paints.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
The Dutch duo has quickly gained a reputation for taxidermy of the finest quality, and they exhibit their work all over the world.
Darwin's menagerie —
The Dutch duo has quickly gained a reputation for taxidermy of the finest quality, and they exhibit their work all over the world.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Some of the works have an unmistakably sinister aspect to them, though this never eclipses the artistic value, creativity, or sense of slightly subversive fun.
Darwin's Menagerie —
Some of the works have an unmistakably sinister aspect to them, though this never eclipses the artistic value, creativity, or sense of slightly subversive fun.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
A pawky humor is evident in much of their work, offering a wry take on 17th Century zoological habits.
Darwin's Menagerie —
A pawky humor is evident in much of their work, offering a wry take on 17th Century zoological habits.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
The duo has a "network" of breeders and zoos that contacts them when a rare bird dies, enabling them to gain material for their art.
Darwin's menagerie —
The duo has a "network" of breeders and zoos that contacts them when a rare bird dies, enabling them to gain material for their art.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
The creations are remarkably lifelike by comparison to the many substandard examples of taxidermy that abound today.
Darwin's menagerie —
The creations are remarkably lifelike by comparison to the many substandard examples of taxidermy that abound today.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
However, there is always something slightly quirky or unusual about the poses, making the artworks intriguing.
Darwin's menagerie —
However, there is always something slightly quirky or unusual about the poses, making the artworks intriguing.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
The pair does not only work with birds. This lemur catta is a striking example of the breadth of their work, which preserves the beauty of animals in a stylized way.
Darwin's menagerie —
The pair does not only work with birds. This lemur catta is a striking example of the breadth of their work, which preserves the beauty of animals in a stylized way.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Although many have an aversion to the display of dead animals, for van Tongeren and Sinke it's simply about the beauty of nature.
Darwin's menagerie —
Although many have an aversion to the display of dead animals, for van Tongeren and Sinke it's simply about the beauty of nature.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
He argues that when animals die, it's a shame to waste their beautiful bodies when they could be transformed into exquisite pieces of art.
Darwin's menagerie —
He argues that when animals die, it's a shame to waste their beautiful bodies when they could be transformed into exquisite pieces of art.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Moreover, the pair always make sure to treat the animals with respect, even if they do present them in eye-catching ways.
Darwin's menagerie —
Moreover, the pair always make sure to treat the animals with respect, even if they do present them in eye-catching ways.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
The reaction to the artists' work, which has been marketed for less than three years, has been hugely positive.
Darwin's menagerie —
The reaction to the artists' work, which has been marketed for less than three years, has been hugely positive.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Many modern taxidermists rely on ready-made mannequins and other materials, which makes the process far quicker. However, the Dutch artists take the traditional, painstaking approach, because it delivers such superior results.
Darwin's menagerie —
Many modern taxidermists rely on ready-made mannequins and other materials, which makes the process far quicker. However, the Dutch artists take the traditional, painstaking approach, because it delivers such superior results.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Their work explores the concepts of death and life, and beauty and ugliness.
Darwin's menagerie —
Their work explores the concepts of death and life, and beauty and ugliness.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
This wreath of snakes highlights the collision of lifelike taxidermy with a level of ironic contrivance that can be found only in death.
Darwin's Menagerie —
This wreath of snakes highlights the collision of lifelike taxidermy with a level of ironic contrivance that can be found only in death.
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy
Darwin's Menagerie

Story highlights

Two Dutch artists are revolutionizing the world of taxidermy

They have returned to Victorian techniques, producing works of exceptional quality

It's not about death, it's about beauty, they say

CNN  — 

Ferry van Tongeren believes that there are two types of people in the world: those who like dead animals, and those who don’t.

Being a professional fine-art taxidermist, it’s obvious what category he places himself.

“I know it’s hard to believe, but the presence of death has nothing to do with it for me,” says the Dutch artist.

“It’s about shapes, color and construction, not death. But if you think it’s gross, I can’t even start to explain the beauty to you.”

Then, after a moment of reflection, he adds: “I’m not weird.”

As part of the Darwin-Sinke-van-Tongeren collective – which makes the unusual move of including Charles Darwin as a member – van Tongeren and his artistic partner, Jaap Sinke, create extraordinary taxidermy artworks that have been and acclaimed all over the world.

darwin menagerie 18
Courtesy Fine Taxidermy

The pieces are inspired by the paintings of 17th Century painters like Jan Weenix, Melchior d’Hondecoeter and Adriaen van Olen, and have been called “flamboyant 17th century luxury”

The blend of retro-cool and exquisite workmanship led one reviewer to say that it “elevates taxidermy to a higher plane”.

There is no doubt: van Tongeren and Sinke – who sport wild hair and beards and wear matching leather aprons – are the hottest thing to happen to taxidermy in decades.

Demand is growing for their work, with pieces selling for between £2,000 and £25,000. n 25 November, their latest exhibition will be coming to the Shapero Rare Book store in London.

READ: Equine taxidermy

Late starter

Given these achievements, many find it hard to believe that van Tongeren has only been in the game for three years.

“I was 47 years old, and was running my own advertising agency,” he recalls.

“We were on a family holiday in New Zealand, and over dinner I just said to my wife, ‘I know what I want to do. I want to be a taxidermist’.

“It had never occurred to me before that day, and it changed my life overnight.”

His wife “has accepted it”, and his two children, he says, “love it”.

His 15-year-old son helps with the stuffing, and his six-year-old daughter likes it too – though “she gets a bit worried when I start stroking the cat.” (Van Tongeren has a cat and a dog, which he has no intention of stuffing. For now.)

Part of the secret to the duo’s success is the quality that is evident from their work.

In some quarters taxidermy has become quite trendy over recent years, but it’s rare to find stuffed animals that can genuinely be mistaken for living creatures.

“We use the old-fashioned, Victorian methods,” he explains. “In those days, labor was not so expensive so they took their time over everything. But now mass production has taken over, so speed has taken over.

“Most modern taxidermists buy a ready-made mannequin and stretch the skin over the top.

“But we take months over each animal. We do it as it should be done, and the results speak for themselves. It takes months rather than hours.”

READ: Crappy taxidermy

The beauty of death

Among the works of art van Tangeren and Sinke have produced are a beautiful flamingo with raised wings; a parrot with its feathers spread into an artistic action pose; a monkey with its tail raised in a flamboyant circle; and a red-billed, blue magpie, wings and tail stretched back as if in some magical flight.

“I love birds,” says van Tangeren. “We have a network of breeders and zoos who give us a call when a rare animal dies.

“As an artist, it’s a big advantage to start with something beautiful in itself. You can’t use paint to make colors like some birds have. The intensity of the colors and the layers of their feathers is breathtaking.”

In retrospect, van Tangeren’s sudden epiphany three years ago was not such a surprise. Since he was a child, he says, he was fascinated by dead animals, and has been collecting skulls all his life. (The centerpiece of his collection is the skull of a duck-billed platypus.)

“In a way, it’s about owning something beautiful,” he says. “As a child you don’t really own anything, but when you find a skull, you have a feeling that this is something worth a lot.

“That is the feeling that has stayed with me. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s about capturing and holding beauty, not death.”

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