At first glance, Walton Fords large-scale, highly detailed watercolors of animals recall the prints of 19th-century illustrators John James Audubon and Edward Lear. But a closer look reveals a complex and disturbingly anthropomorphic universe, full of symbols, sly jokes, and allusions to the "operatic" nature of traditional natural-history themes. This large-format volume includes an in-depth exploration of Fords oeuvre, a complete biography, and excerpts from his textual inspirations.