It’s interesting how something perceived in one part of the world as ugly is seen as having great beauty somewhere else. This vintage fancy goldfish drawing is of a pair of fish that one Frenchman, writing for L’Illustration in 1873 describes what the French are calling telescope fish. The frontal eyes are on a “pronounced projection” which is where the name comes from. He further explains that the fish is a species created by the Chinese and is not an improvement on the work of the Creator.
Our family give these fancy goldfish a more humorous name – googly-eyed goldfish. These poor creatures seem so mis-shapen that they seem to wobble through the water rather than swim. But, their large, fanned tails and bright colors are quite stunning – at least to this American of the 21st century.
This drawing was not credited, as was typical of this magazine, but there might be a teeny signature in the bottom left-hand corner. This public domain fish drawing is of two fish and they are positioned in such a way that you could isolate one of them, if you so desired.
This image is copyright free and in the public domain anywhere that extends copyrights 70 years after death or at least 120 years after publication when the original illustrator is unknown.
