Fantastical Beasts

Painting, Evil castañuelas and the cementery of spanish guitars, Antonio Asensi

Evil castañuelas and the cementery of spanish guitars

Antonio Asensi

Painting - 175 x 200 x 4 cm

$3,953

Painting, Blue fishes, Simon Blau

Blue fishes

Simon Blau

Painting - 40 x 40 x 0.3 cm

$1,680

Sculpture, Méduses des mers d'aciers, Looki

Méduses des mers d'aciers

Looki

Sculpture - 68 x 70 x 21 cm

$1,637 $1,229

Sculpture, Tico-Uno, Patopalomo

Tico-Uno

Patopalomo

Sculpture - 43 x 52 x 23 cm

$1,016

Print, Beauties and the Beast, Carlos Quinto Kemm

Beauties and the Beast

Carlos Quinto Kemm

Print - 40 x 69 cm

$650

Painting, Just a horse with no name and a silly flame, Teodor Genov – Pastedko

Just a horse with no name and a silly flame

Teodor Genov – Pastedko

Painting - 27 x 37 x 0.2 cm

$621

Painting, La chouette, Jérôme Bouscarat

La chouette

Jérôme Bouscarat

Painting - 55 x 46 x 2 cm

$1,005

Painting, 1979 Chevaux Horses, Chen Chin

1979 Chevaux Horses

Chen Chin

Painting - 110 x 53 x 0.5 cm

$8,470

Sculpture, Panama (Baby Elephant), Thomas Turner

Panama (Baby Elephant)

Thomas Turner

Sculpture - 64 x 48 x 10 cm

$1,355

Sculpture, Mini taureau rouge 03, Imfré Gite

Mini taureau rouge 03

Imfré Gite

Sculpture - 12 x 22 x 13 cm

$508

Print, Dave Mattheus & Tim Reynolds, Alan Berry Rhys

Dave Mattheus & Tim Reynolds

Alan Berry Rhys

Print - 62 x 46 x 1 cm

$260

Print, L'équilibre des forces, Céline Parmentier

L'équilibre des forces

Céline Parmentier

Print - 50 x 25 x 0.1 cm

$226

Sculpture, Mujer y pulpo, Jorge Castillo

Mujer y pulpo

Jorge Castillo

Sculpture - 17.5 x 23 x 4 cm

$824

Painting, Chargé I, Patricia Dubois

Chargé I

Patricia Dubois

Painting - 111 x 79 x 3.5 cm

$2,854

Painting, Bla-bla-bla, Mikhail Baranovskiy

Bla-bla-bla

Mikhail Baranovskiy

Painting - 72 x 56 x 2.5 cm

$2,259

Sculpture, Ours Nandi, Philippe Buil

Ours Nandi

Philippe Buil

Sculpture - 31 x 26 x 27 cm

$1,920

Sculpture, Ours 102-23, Philippe Buil

Ours 102-23

Philippe Buil

Sculpture - 12 x 20 x 10 cm

$734

Painting, La persane, Catherine Clare

La persane

Catherine Clare

Painting - 65 x 50 x 2.5 cm

$1,694

Photography, Métamorphose d’un Roi, Chahrazed Fekih

Métamorphose d’un Roi

Chahrazed Fekih

Photography - 12.5 x 18 x 0.2 cm

$565

Painting, Games People Play, Mikhail Baranovskiy

Games People Play

Mikhail Baranovskiy

Painting - 100 x 70 x 3 cm

$2,823

Sculpture, Minotaur | Sculpture Bronze, Gediminas Endriekus

Minotaur | Sculpture Bronze

Gediminas Endriekus

Sculpture - 30 x 8.2 x 19.5 cm

$5,308

Photography, The Fastest Sagittal (Peregrine Falcon), Hugh Turvey

The Fastest Sagittal (Peregrine Falcon)

Hugh Turvey

Photography - 80 x 80 cm

$1,580

Sculpture, Little crows, Aurelija Simkute

Little crows

Aurelija Simkute

Sculpture - 30 x 15 x 13 cm

$7,340

Print, Poulpes Tantriques, Samuel Favarica

Poulpes Tantriques

Samuel Favarica

Print - 90 x 90 x 1 cm

$2,259

Sculpture, Untitled, Aurelija Simkute

Untitled

Aurelija Simkute

Sculpture - 28 x 30 x 17 cm

$10,728

Photography, Magic With, Hugh Turvey

Magic With

Hugh Turvey

Photography - 65 x 65 cm

$856

Painting, Eléphant, Tarek

Eléphant

Tarek

Painting - 24 x 19 x 2 cm

$305

Fine Art Drawings, Propagation - Nautilus, Suoyuan Wang

Propagation - Nautilus

Suoyuan Wang

Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 20 x 2 cm

$1,186

Painting, La Sauvageonne, Serge Kalinowski

La Sauvageonne

Serge Kalinowski

Painting - 81 x 65 x 5 cm

$1,807

Painting, Cats, Joanna Glazer

Cats

Joanna Glazer

Painting - 70 x 80 x 1 cm

$1,118

Painting, P-omme (Paix - Homme), Youngmi Kim

P-omme (Paix - Homme)

Youngmi Kim

Painting - 100 x 100 x 3.5 cm

$1,694

Painting, Pink Panther, Mosko

Pink Panther

Mosko

Painting - 40 x 38 x 4 cm

$960

Painting, L'hiver (Ecosse), Youngmi Kim

L'hiver (Ecosse)

Youngmi Kim

Painting - 116 x 89 x 2.5 cm

$1,694

Sculpture, Déchirement, Seyhan Hanotte

Déchirement

Seyhan Hanotte

Sculpture - 28 x 14 x 2.2 cm

$1,129

Sculpture, Yür, Saône De Stalh

Yür

Saône De Stalh

Sculpture - 38 x 33 x 12 cm

$1,807

Fine Art Drawings, Stilt Walkers, Gabrielle Pool

Stilt Walkers

Gabrielle Pool

Fine Art Drawings - 30 x 30 x 0.1 cm

$593

Painting, Masque jovial, Tarek

Masque jovial

Tarek

Painting - 30 x 30 x 2 cm

$395

Painting, Equestre, Pierre Le Preux

Equestre

Pierre Le Preux

Painting - 100 x 150 x 3 cm

$4,178

Painting, Turbulences - Bestiaire, Pierre Le Preux

Turbulences - Bestiaire

Pierre Le Preux

Painting - 100 x 150 x 3 cm

$4,178

Print, Exotic Fantasy, Bob Marchant

Exotic Fantasy

Bob Marchant

Print - 78.6 x 78.7 x 1 cm

$1,100

Print, Toto Lapinture, Speedy Graphito

Toto Lapinture

Speedy Graphito

Print - 47 x 37 cm

$260

Painting, Serpiente Arcoiris, One of a Kind., Tahuanty Jacanamijoy

Serpiente Arcoiris, One of a Kind.

Tahuanty Jacanamijoy

Painting - 35 x 27 x 0.3 cm

$1,000

Painting, Trinidad, One of a Kind, Tahuanty Jacanamijoy

Trinidad, One of a Kind

Tahuanty Jacanamijoy

Painting - 35 x 27 x 0.3 cm

$1,000

Print, Orange lion hermès, Yaniv Edery

Orange lion hermès

Yaniv Edery

Print - 81 x 61 x 3.5 cm

$10,051

Photography, Sans titre 5, Aurélie Sarramon

Sans titre 5

Aurélie Sarramon

Photography - 36 x 24 cm

$68

Print, Le lion rouge, Bruno Mallart

Le lion rouge

Bruno Mallart

Print - 79 x 79 cm

$4,517

Painting, Snow Maiden, Lilia Mazurkevich

Snow Maiden

Lilia Mazurkevich

Painting - 63.5 x 50.8 x 7.6 cm

$7,835

Print, Homme plante, David Vanadia

Homme plante

David Vanadia

Print - 40 x 30 x 1 cm

$158

Painting, Fontaine de Jouvence III, Patricia Dubois

Fontaine de Jouvence III

Patricia Dubois

Painting - 113 x 150 x 3.5 cm

$4,115

Painting, Sans titre, Meteo Meteo

Sans titre

Meteo Meteo

Painting - 21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm

$119

Painting, Freedom loving fish fighting against weight force (Freiheitsliebender Fisch gegen die Gewichtskraft kämpfend), Paul Verstraten

Freedom loving fish fighting against weight force (Freiheitsliebender Fisch gegen die Gewichtskraft kämpfend)

Paul Verstraten

Painting - 110 x 140 x 2 cm

$1,807

Painting, Tree of meat (Baum aus Fleisch), Paul Verstraten

Tree of meat (Baum aus Fleisch)

Paul Verstraten

Painting - 110 x 150 x 2 cm

$2,202

Sculpture, Asnar, Saône De Stalh

Asnar

Saône De Stalh

Sculpture - 29 x 41 x 16 cm

$6,776

Fine Art Drawings, A song of nature, Aurélie Trabaud

A song of nature

Aurélie Trabaud

Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 50 x 1.5 cm

$2,033

Painting, Drôles d'oiseaux !, Sabine Louriac

Drôles d'oiseaux !

Sabine Louriac

Painting - 65 x 50 x 0.3 cm

$610

Fine Art Drawings, Sans titre, Meteo Meteo

Sans titre

Meteo Meteo

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm

$119 $71

Painting, Le changement, Michaël Relave

Le changement

Michaël Relave

Painting - 32 x 24 x 0.3 cm

$700

Print, Licaón, Corvengi

Licaón

Corvengi

Print - 110 x 168 cm

$6,149

Painting, Mr Sanglier, Petraeus

Mr Sanglier

Petraeus

Painting - 55 x 46 x 2 cm

$553

Print, Yaguarete, Marcos López

Yaguarete

Marcos López

Print - 26 x 22 x 1 cm

$621

Print, Mille chats, Richard Texier

Mille chats

Richard Texier

Print - 50 x 33 cm

$508

Painting, Astrale, Caroline Huet

Astrale

Caroline Huet

Painting - 81 x 100 x 2.5 cm

$2,654

Painting, Australie, Baptiste Laurent

Australie

Baptiste Laurent

Painting - 122 x 104 x 0.3 cm

$2,552

Painting, Sanglier, Jeanjerome

Sanglier

Jeanjerome

Painting - 46 x 33 x 3 cm

$2,733

Painting, Dragon, Jeanjerome

Dragon

Jeanjerome

Painting - 46 x 33 x 3 cm

$2,755

Sculpture, Mini taureau argenté alvéolé, Imfré Gite

Mini taureau argenté alvéolé

Imfré Gite

Sculpture - 12 x 22 x 13 cm

$508

Painting, Gardien de mes temples, Michaël Relave

Gardien de mes temples

Michaël Relave

Painting - 130 x 89 x 2 cm

$4,111

Sculpture, Papillon sur le mur, Christine Guillemin

Papillon sur le mur

Christine Guillemin

Sculpture - 40 x 100 x 20 cm

$11,858

Painting, Foxes by moonlight, Peter de Boer

Foxes by moonlight

Peter de Boer

Painting - 120 x 170 x 2 cm

$5,647

Print, Les Mange-Peurs, La Faiblesse (poudre de cuivre), Olivier Tenedor

Les Mange-Peurs, La Faiblesse (poudre de cuivre)

Olivier Tenedor

Print - 50 x 33 x 1 cm

$226

Sculpture, Dragon 1058, Wabé

Dragon 1058

Wabé

Sculpture - 5 x 11 x 1 cm

$395

Print, Intervention - I told you I'm trouble..., Erni Vales

Intervention - I told you I'm trouble...

Erni Vales

Print - 101.6 x 82.6 x 2 cm

$1,807

Print, Les Mange-Peurs, La Pauvreté, Olivier Tenedor

Les Mange-Peurs, La Pauvreté

Olivier Tenedor

Print - 50 x 33 x 1 cm

$113

Photography, Salvada por los serpientes, Javier Artica

Salvada por los serpientes

Javier Artica

Photography - 28 x 22 x 0.2 cm

$395

Painting, Madère, Florence Boré

Madère

Florence Boré

Painting - 41 x 21 x 0.3 cm

$2,823

Painting, Vanité, Florence Pinel

Vanité

Florence Pinel

Painting - 97 x 67 x 0.2 cm

$547

Fine Art Drawings, Vautour, Lionel le Jeune

Vautour

Lionel le Jeune

Fine Art Drawings - 42 x 29 x 0.2 cm

$339

Painting, Ursa Major, Sylvie Cappe

Ursa Major

Sylvie Cappe

Painting - 60 x 60 x 1.5 cm

$655

Painting, N°Méduse, Bleu platine

N°Méduse

Bleu platine

Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm

$1,581

Sculpture, Renart, le Goupil, Monsieur Térez

Renart, le Goupil

Monsieur Térez

Sculpture - 42 x 55 x 20 cm

$1,807

Sculpture, Le CroCrodile, Monsieur Térez

Le CroCrodile

Monsieur Térez

Sculpture - 70 x 97 x 17 cm

$2,033

Painting, The King, Amogh Katyayan

The King

Amogh Katyayan

Painting - 61 x 61 x 3.8 cm

$450

Painting, On the origin of rain, Ciprian Mihailescu

On the origin of rain

Ciprian Mihailescu

Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm

$5,647

Painting, Le Dragon livrant bataille, Noël Granger

Le Dragon livrant bataille

Noël Granger

Painting - 40 x 30 cm

$553

Painting, Owl, Olga Volna

Owl

Olga Volna

Painting - 30 x 30 x 1 cm

$95

Sculpture, Mi-Siren, Arman

Mi-Siren

Arman

Sculpture - 25 x 26 x 17 cm

$6,776

Painting, Forest libido, Catherine Clare

Forest libido

Catherine Clare

Painting - 60 x 73 x 2.5 cm

$2,033

Painting, Wolf, Eulogia Merle

Wolf

Eulogia Merle

Painting - 75 x 105 x 5 cm

$2,236

Fine Art Drawings, In a forest, Ewa Pello

In a forest

Ewa Pello

Fine Art Drawings - 49 x 63 cm

$1,129

Fine Art Drawings, Doble Standard 7. From the series doble standard, James Bonachea

Doble Standard 7. From the series doble standard

James Bonachea

Fine Art Drawings - 37.8 x 25.9 x 0.3 cm

$1,000

Photography, Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5, Gellert Bath House, Budapest, Michael James O'Brien

Matthew Barney, Cremaster 5, Gellert Bath House, Budapest

Michael James O'Brien

Photography - 61 x 43.2 x 0.3 cm

$4,000

Fine Art Drawings, Untitled 62, Julieta Intergalactica

Untitled 62

Julieta Intergalactica

Fine Art Drawings - 21 x 14.8 x 0.2 cm

$271

Fantastical Beasts

The bestiary can be considered to exist as a literary genre from the Middles-Ages on. Indeed, we can find examples in manuscripts dating from that period. These writings summarise the characteristics of each creature, and sometimes the fables and morals associated to them. Consequently, these manuscripts represent our collective profound interest for the classification and analysis of the animal world. But the idea of a bestiary, especially of fantastical beasts, has its origins rooted in times as ancient as the day men began to tell stories about the creatures they saw. Ancient Egyptian spiritual culture, for example, is filled with fantastic creatures such as the sphinx; a hybrid species also present in Greek mythology!

Just as the men of the Paleolithic decorated the walls of the Lascaux cave with the silhouettes of the animals they encountered, the interest in illustrating the animal world, real and imagined, has continued to inspire artists to this day. In the Renaissance, interest in curiosities (exotic or otherwise-particular objects and items) was the catalyst for a number of collections, and studies of flora and fauna. And although the animals were not fantastical per se, they were still imagined beasts - fantasized, even! Indeed, it isn't easy to paint a rhinoceros without having ever seen one, basing one's practice solely on the theatrical accounts of the rare travelers back from Africa…

Today, artists around the world draw inspiration from the mythical creatures of the collective imagination. They regularly invent new conceptions of the animal world, conceptions that push the boundaries of the supernatural. It must be said that a bestiary, especially of fantastical beasts, attracts an audience of all ages. For the little ones, it feeds the imagination. For the adults, depending on the work, it can offer an escape from daily life, a trip back to childhood, or even an invitation to reflection or spiritual thought!

In terms of decor, a work of art inspired by fantastical beasts gives a dreamlike dimension to an interior. In a children's bedroom, for example, it will inspire many dreams, and offer young spirits a window view of imagination that they can contemplate and re-interpret over and over again. In a living room, it will bring a unique and extravagant touch to your walls, and will certainly be the starter of many conversations with your guests.

If you're only just discovering the world of fantastical beasts, you may need some advice… Start, then, with the zodiac scenes of Raymond Peynet. For a more traditional feel and a more tribal aesthetic, may we suggest the paintings of Indian artist Ram Singh Urveti? If it's the majesty of mythology that inspires you, talk a walk through Salvador Dalí's sculptures, and if you would rather go for a lighter genre of animal representation, look no further than Emilie Bouguereau's terrestrial paradise-meets-safari watercolors!

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