Man of the Khoikhoi with an ox-horn pipe in his hand Possibly 1777 - 1786

This watercolor drawing titled “Man of the Khoikhoi with an ox-horn pipe in his hand” by Robert Jacob Gordon depicts a Khoikhoi man, a member of a group of indigenous people in South Africa, smoking a pipe. This piece, created sometime between 1777 and 1786, was likely created as an ethnographic study of the Khoikhoi people and their cultural practices, reflecting the growing interest in documenting and understanding different cultures during the 18th century. The detailed depiction of the man’s clothing, jewelry, and pipe offers valuable insights into the daily life and customs of the Khoikhoi people during this period.