Josep Baqué (1895–1967) was born in Barcelona, Spain, where are his father worked in a ceramic tile factory. An uncle working for a textile printing firm, introduced him to the decorative arts and vernacular imagery. While still very young Josep developed a fascination with illustrated magazines, before leaving home and travelling widely in Europe.

In the course of his roamings he worked at different trades including cook's assistant, warehouseman and stonecutter. Back in his home town in 1928, he joined the municipal police and became a traffic officer. He remained unmarried and lived with his mother.

Beginning in 1932, he made over 1500 ink and gouache drawings of "monsters, marvels and rare phenomena" on drawing paper. Imaginary, strange and unique, his creatures comprised a mix of human and animal features, or characteristics of different animals. As his fantastic bestiary expanded, Josep gave it its own system of scientific classification. In 2006 an association was formed to gain a wider audience for his work.