Kop van een leguaan 1876 - 1924

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof's study from between 1876 and 1924, “Head of an Iguana,” rendered in pencil on paper. It is quite fascinating. Editor: It certainly is. My first impression is one of archaic majesty; the texture work really gives the iguana a primordial weight. The scales are almost jewel-like. Curator: Indeed. Considering its context, natural history studies during that period often served as documents but also reflect the power dynamics embedded in colonial scientific expeditions. Editor: Right, these drawings carry a symbolic weight related to human interaction with nature and particularly wildness. The very act of sketching isolates this head, transforming the animal into an artifact, an emblem to be scrutinized. It reminds me of early explorers’ depictions of new species, always laden with the assumptions of the colonizing gaze. Curator: The iguana, of course, indigenous to the Americas, becomes a signifier for the ‘New World,’ embodying both exoticism and the potential for scientific domination through its detailed study. How do you see its visual history impacting our reception? Editor: Seeing it today, its symbolism can't be divorced from the current climate crisis, where we grapple with biodiversity loss. The intense realism might even evoke a sense of regret for the wildness contained and cataloged. I wonder what a zoologist might make of its artistic licence versus accurate recording... Curator: I’m not sure Dijsselhof had those ecological concerns in mind back then, yet the act of selecting, framing, and portraying nature reflects how deeply human perspective and historical baggage is implicated in everything. Editor: Precisely. We impose meanings and cultural values, perhaps unintentionally, which persist regardless. The emotional texture remains strong. Curator: It gives you quite a bit to think about in such a simple image. Editor: Absolutely, and it just shows how vital visual culture remains as a carrier of meaning.