Aloes, Monster Fish, 16th Century


Woodcut of a "the Aloes, a monstrous fish" from Des Monstres et prodiges by Ambroise Par̩, 1573. Des Monstres is filled with unsubstantiated accounts of sea devils, marine sows, and monstrous animals with human faces. With its extensive discussion of reproduction and illustrations of birth defects, the book invited accusations of pornography. "The Aloes, is very similar to a goose, having its neck raised high, its head to a point like a Good-Christian pear, the body thick like that of a goose, without scales, having its four fins under the belly."


Size: 3600px × 3101px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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