Lion of Gripsholm Castle explained

The Lion of Gripsholm Castle is a notable example of a poorly performed taxidermy located in Gripsholm Castle, Sweden. The lion is badly stuffed and is considered to have a comically deformed face.[1]

In 1731, the dey of Algiers, Baba Abdi, presented King Frederick I of Sweden with a lion, one of the first lions in Scandinavia.[2] When alive, the lion was kept in a cage near Junibacken. When the lion died, it was stuffed and mounted; however, the taxidermist and the museum-keepers had never actually seen a lion before, and did not know how they were supposed to look.[3] The taxidermist mostly based the reconstruction off of historic artwork of lions. As a result, the mount was especially anatomically inaccurate, most apparent in its face.

In the 21st century, the badly-stuffed lion has been widely mocked.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hilariously Bad Lion Taxidermy . Donna . Dickens . 18 August 2011 . Buzzfeed. 9 March 2014. 17 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140717041005/http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/hilariously-bad-lion-taxidermy. live.
  2. Web site: Le lion empaillé de Gripsholm. La Boite Verte. 28 March 2011 . 9 March 2014. 9 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140309184234/http://www.laboiteverte.fr/le-lion-empaille-de-gripsholm/. live.
  3. Web site: The Greatest Castles in Sweden: Uncovering Magical Swedish Castles. Exploring Castles. 9 March 2014. 9 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140309184608/http://www.exploring-castles.com/castles_in_sweden.html#gripsholm_lion. live.
  4. Web site: Bad taxidermy: The lion at the castle of Gripsholm . Doobybrain . August 17, 2011 . 9 March 2014 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140309201041/http://www.doobybrain.com/2011/08/17/bad-taxidermy-the-lion-at-the-castle-of-gripsholm/ . 9 March 2014 .
  5. Web site: The lion of Gripsholm's castle. As Good as it gets . 11 April 2011 . 9 March 2014. 8 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140708203227/http://www.ulrikagood.com/2011/04/lion-of-gripshoms-castle.html. live.
  6. Web site: The stuffed lion of Gripsholm's Castle. The Proceedings of the Ever so Strange . 9 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140309184648/http://www.eversostrange.com/2011/03/27/the-stuffed-lion-of-gripsholms-castle/. 9 March 2014. dead.
  7. Web site: 18th Century Taxidermy Unkind to Noble Lion. 11 April 2011 . Max . Eddy . 9 March 2014. 8 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140308025528/http://www.geekosystem.com/lion-taxidermy/. live.
  8. Web site: The Lion of Gripsholm Castle. 12 April 2011 . Miss Cellania . Mentalfloss. 9 March 2014. 5 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140305124545/http://mentalfloss.com/article/27487/lion-gripsholm-castle. live.
  9. Web site: Lejonet på Gripsholms Slott. Facebook. 9 March 2014. 17 July 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160717160209/https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lejonet-p%C3%A5-Gripsholms-Slott/113607498385. live.