We were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Desmond Morris at the age of 98. Morris became a household name in 1967 with the publication of The Naked Ape, a cultural phenomenon that ranks as one of the top 100 bestselling titles of all time.
Morris was not only a pioneering zoologist and ethologist: he was a surrealist painter too, famously exhibiting his work alongside Joan Miró. He wrote numerous books on the subject, including The Lives of the Surrealists, Postures: Body Language in Art, The British Surrealists and 101 Surrealists, all published by Thames & Hudson.
The Surrealist Menagerie, his final book with Thames & Hudson, comes out in September 2026.
Morris’s son Jason paid tribute to him after his death on Sunday 19 April:
‘His was a lifetime of exploration, curiosity and creativity,’ Jason said. ‘A zoologist, manwatcher, author and artist, he was still writing and painting right up until his death. He was a great man and an even better father and grandfather.’
The Guardian described him as ‘an encyclopaedic observer of human behaviour’ who also maintained ‘a separate and distinguished career as an artist.’ The BBC called Morris ‘legendary’, while the Independent labelled him ‘groundbreaking’. Artlyst, meanwhile, hailed him as ‘a rare figure who lived several significant careers in a single lifetime.’
You can read the full obituaries and tributes here:
