I have always been enchanted by those anatomical engravings in which a partially or completely flayed corpse cavorts in the great outdoors. Often, the specimen stands in front of some bucolic scene or large animal.

That particular engraving after Albinus which features a skeleton standing incongruously before a rhinoceros inspired me to depict the remains of the famous Joseph Merrick, known more commonly as "the Elephant Man." The choice of featuring Merrick's remains seemed natural; after all, since Michael "King of Pop" Jackson allegedly tried to purchase them Merrick's bones are now nearly as famous as he was.