When the strange creature made its first appearance in Florence in 1487 at the court of the Medici, it caused quite a stir. With its long neck bending down to take food from children and being fed fruit by noblewomen from upper-story windows, the creature captivated all who witnessed its presence. The sight of this extraordinary animal was so mesmerizing that it left a lasting impression on those who were fortunate enough to see it.
Nearly three centuries later, in 1827, a female giraffe presented to Charles X in Paris sparked a wave of giraffe-mania. The giraffe’s arrival led to a surge in popularity, with people adopting high-piled hairstyles and decorating their homes with giraffe-spotted wallpaper in homage to the exotic creature. Some even speculate that the design of the Eiffel Tower was influenced by the giraffe, demonstrating the lasting impact of this majestic animal on art and architecture.
Anne Innis Dagg had a similar transformative experience when she was just two years old visiting the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. The sight of the towering giraffes in their enclosure left a lasting impression on her young mind. When the giraffes suddenly became scared and galloped with a flurry of necks and legs, the spectacle was both terrifying and beautiful, forever shaping her deep connection to these graceful creatures.