I went to Hampton Court this weekend and was looking at the frescos - and halfway up one wall I spotted these absolute nightmare beasts. WHAT are they? WHY are they? Why no arms? Why the, er, décolletage? Why are they dragons and babies? Historians, please! - ThreadSky

andrewhunterm.bsky.social • 28 days ago

I went to Hampton Court this weekend and was looking at the frescos - and halfway up one wall I spotted these absolute nightmare beasts. WHAT are they? WHY are they? Why no arms? Why the, er, décolletage? Why are they dragons and babies? Historians, please!

Comments

elmiller.bsky.social•27 days ago

@weirdmedieval.bsky.social
Any thoughts?

russellcourt.bsky.social•28 days ago

I wouldn’t worry about them. They seem pretty “armless”

singletoned.bsky.social•28 days ago

Turns out anime was invented in the 17th century 🤷

katherineschof8.bsky.social•27 days ago

Harpies I think, but this one's my favourite Renaissance creepy baby (Arion riding the dolphin, Ferrari 1510, if you really want to know)

jaminatin.bsky.social•27 days ago

So harpies are not grown women with unorthodox morals then?

andrewhunterm.bsky.social•27 days ago

Thank you so much. Good lord. I've heard of the Ferrari 512 but the 1510 is far more disturbing.

lucidnations.bsky.social•28 days ago

If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes I would have assumed AI slop.

andrewhunterm.bsky.social•28 days ago

It puts the AI in ‘renAIssance’

ticktockhouse.bsky.social•28 days ago

They are the Sexy Babies *and* the Monsters on the Hill 😱

barrowmember.bsky.social•27 days ago

@swilua.bsky.social @selinesigil.bsky.social @hookland.bsky.social

hookland.bsky.social•27 days ago

To me, the composite creature is fundamental expression of our own nature. A code in art and folklore for those of us not fully at home in one environment.

ccrgmac.bsky.social•28 days ago

This seems to be an accurate depiction of zero gravity in action.

ravensmango.bsky.social•28 days ago

Like birds, they have wings not arms

andrewhunterm.bsky.social•28 days ago

Yeah, but, you know, angels manage to have the full package

nacnud75.bsky.social•27 days ago

Yes but angles are a type of insect. These must be a type of tetrapod.

rain-berry.bsky.social•26 days ago

I'm thinking there are drugs involved.

btpepper.bsky.social•27 days ago

What?! You don't know about the bustly-endowed dragon babies in Heaven?

I hope they're like domestic pets and/or personal assistants for those who go to the Good Place.

maaikeatfmoon.bsky.social•28 days ago

Bizarre boob babies
WTAF

andrewhunterm.bsky.social•28 days ago

I knew Henry VIII was a pervert but this is ridiculous

refugeefromtwitter.bsky.social•28 days ago

He’d fuck a pig if he didn’t have to kiss it.

oiyouandy.bsky.social•27 days ago

He was driven mad by his wives. Every time he said "All I want is a little son and heir" they took him to Butlins.

erikam123.bsky.social•27 days ago

Are they whistling?

spookydirt.bsky.social•27 days ago

Maybe the arms evolved into the wings, although weird evolutionary pressures if the legs needed to become snakelike. Good job Darwin never saw these in the wild, he'd have given up on his book and thrown it in the fire.