Apparently this tiny terrifying monkey-man was found on an Austrian expedition to Brazil in 1815.

Don't worry. I'm pretty sure they killed it. I think this might be its skin:

I mean it. I think that might actually be the mounted skin of the monkey from the painting above. It's the first image that came up in a Google search for its scientific name Brachyurus israelita. That particular specimen belongs to the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology. Its reference is catalogued as Simiarum et Vespertilionum Brasiliensium (1823), the same book in which the painting was published. Weird, huh?

Simiarum et Vespertilionum Brasiliensium is an account of the Austrian expedition to Brazil undertaken by Johann Baptist von Spix and several other naturalists in 1815. It is available in its glorious entirety from the Smithsonian Digital Collection. That creepy little monkey and several of its brethren are going to decorate the walls of my new apartment.

Noah and I just recently moved and though the odd random object still litters the floor, the decoration plan is really beginning to gel. It's been a long time since we've put much effort into decorating since we've moved around so much in the last few years so I am very excited. Our chosen theme is Natural History Museum with a focus on the Americas. In addition to the monkeys of Brazil, I've printed a few Audubon paintings and some old maps of the Americas, including this 17th century beauty. I also intend to make a few purchases at the skeleton store. We ladies do love to shop! Perhaps I'll finally buy the American river otter penis bone I've always wanted.