The Medici giraffe
Subtitle: and other tales of exotic animals and power
By: Marina Belozerskaya.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
Published: 2006
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 414
ISBN-13: 9780316525657
Subjects: Wild animals as pets -- History; Wild animal collecting -- History; Exotic animals -- History; Human-animal relationships -- History; Diplomatic gifts -- History
Description: A history of the influential role of exotic animals cites their application as diplomatic gifts and royal treasures, sharing such tales as those about the organized Medici hunts that were aided by cheetahs, Josephine Bonaparte's black swan breeding practices, and William Randolph Hearst's private California preserve.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [391]-402) and index.
Table of contents: title: Elephants for a kingdom; title: Controlling nature in the Roman arena; title: How a giraffe turned a merchant into a prince; title: Human animals in the new world and the old; title: Rudolf II's empire of knowledge; title: The black swans of Malmaison; title: Beyond private delight; title: Little people in furry suits.