The Garden Gnome

As early as the Renaissance, small curious or misshapen figures could be found in gardens — notably at the court of the Medici, where they were known as “Gobbi.” In their modern form, garden gnomes were first produced in Germany, where the eccentric baron Sir Charles Edmund Isham discovered them during a trip in the 1840s. He brought several back to his estate, starting a fashion that soon spread across England. “Prophets and Garden Gnomes” (Prophètes et Nains de jardin) is the sixth socio-educational album by the French band Ludwig von 88 (1996), featuring an eclectic cast including Maria Callas, Ayrton Senna, Haroun Tazieff, Eddie Van Halen, Arlette Laguiller, Rocky Balboa, and many others.