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Stuffed frogs a hit at Croatian gallery
March 22, 1997
Web posted at: 11:16 p.m. EST (0416 GMT)ZAGREB, Croatia (CNN) -- Stuffed frogs, more than 500 of them, gathered dust in a Croatian basement for more than a quarter of a century.
Now they're the subject of an unusual -- and extremely popular -- art exhibit in Zagreb, the Croatian capital.
The frogs were collected and stuffed between 1910 and 1920 by Hungarian taxidermist Ferenc Mere.
The artist took great care to preserve the specimens. Mere stuffed them through the frogs' mouths to avoid damaging their delicate skin, a painstaking process. Then he dressed the amphibians in costumes of the day and arranged them in mundane, but humorous settings.
The frogs, each with the same expressionless face, sit in a classroom and a saloon. Others play in an orchestra, hear a case in a courtroom and are shackled as prisoners.
Described as a whimsical commentary on the human condition, the collection is being hailed as a major find. Owner Ivan Medvesek has received requests from galleries and museums across Europe and the United States.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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