The Bizarre, Human-Animal Hybrids Imagined by Lucien Rudaux – 1938

When a famous French artist created visions of alternative human evolution

 

When not painting imaginings of the moonscape and spaceships, French astronomer and artist Lucien Rudaux (1874–1947) wondered what mankind would look like if evolution “had taken a different turn”. Rudaux depicted his ideas in illustrations for the 1938 magazine article ‘The Bizarre, Human-Animal Hybrids Imagined’.

Written by naturalist and science-fiction novelist Rene Thevenin (1877 – 1967), the article foresaw future humans blessed with physical characteristics more associated with other creatures.  “We can console ourselves by saying that these additions – if we had them – wouldn’t add much to our general attractiveness,” they quipped. But to a Sea-Shell Man, a Sea-Shell Woman might appear dreamy.

The article appeared in a May 1938 issue of The American Weekly, a sensationalist Sunday newspaper supplement published by Hearst Corporation.

 

The Bizarre, Human-Animal Hybrids Imagined by Lucien Rudaux - 1938

“Man’s looks wouldn’t be improved any with fish gills”

The Bizarre, Human-Animal Hybrids Imagined by Lucien Rudaux - 1938

Electric Men are “formidable enemies”

The Bizarre, Human-Animal Hybrids Imagined by Lucien Rudaux - 1938

Bug-Men – “but with twenty or fifty pairs of legs, like some centipedes have, would probably be a nuisance.”

The Bizarre, Human-Animal Hybrids Imagined by Lucien Rudaux - 1938

“Firefly Men would always have light, which would be produced as a cell secretion like fat or perspiration. Theoretically there is nothing to prevent men from producing light; it would be very useful, too.”

The Bizarre, Human-Animal Hybrids Imagined by Lucien Rudaux - 1938

Octopus-Man maintains law and order – “it would be useless to try to escape from them.”

 

Lucien Rudaux in his small observatory, on July 1, 1903

Lucien Rudaux in his small observatory, on July 1, 1903

Via: Gizmodo

 

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