Gallinago nigripennis (Ruff) Possibly 1777 - 1786

This is Robert Jacob Gordon's "Gallinago nigripennis (Ruff)," made using watercolor and graphite. Gordon was a Dutch explorer, military officer, and naturalist of Scottish descent, who served in the Dutch East India Company. The image of the bird, indigenous to South Africa, is set within an imagined landscape. The artist’s personal experiences and beliefs, combined with the historical context of Dutch colonialism, shaped the perception and creation of the artwork. As an officer in the Dutch East India Company, Gordon was actively involved in the colonial project, which sought to control and exploit the resources and peoples of the region. Consider how the bird, as a symbol of the landscape, is presented for European consumption and scientific study. It is a depiction that served the interests of colonial expansion. Colonialism not only reshaped territories but also redefined identities and power dynamics. This artwork, with its seemingly objective portrayal of nature, is deeply embedded in the politics of its time.