ABSTRACT
The rhinoceros's fate is a reflection of Lear's discomfort that in an exotic creature is nothing but a utilitarian skin, figuratively transformed into a doorstop and made into an emblem of England's dominion over remote territories and nations. Shaped into a doorscraper, a utilitarian, subservient object, Lear's rhinoceros is transformed into what was popularly known as Wardian furniture. These furnishings were named after the well-known London taxidermist Rowland Ward, who made a profit by turning animal parts into ornamental household articles. The startling ending to "The Story of Four Little Children Who Went Round the World" makes one wonder about the popularly accepted practice of taxidermy and prompts one, more generally and inclusively, not only to think further about the centrality of skin in animal portraiture. It also examines Lear's own position with regard to the importance of skin in his work as a natural history illustrator.
