The French ironclad Carnot looks weird due to a combination of its unusual hull shape and an outdated, yet transitional, design. Its high, bulbous bow, distinctive diamond-shaped main gun arrangement, and numerous portholes give it a unique and strange appearance, reflecting the compromises made between older designs and emerging technologies. Reasons for the unusual appearance Transitional design: Carnot was designed at the very end of the 19th century, a time when naval technology was rapidly