A Jaguar in a Landscape c. 1833

Curator: Antoine Louis Barye, born in 1795, presents us with "A Jaguar in a Landscape," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's surprisingly intimate; I expected something grander. The jaguar feels very present, almost domestic. Curator: Barye’s focus on animal anatomy aligns with the burgeoning scientific interest of the 19th century, but it also echoes colonialist narratives of taming the exotic. Editor: The watercolor technique is intriguing—how he builds up the texture of the fur and the landscape using layers. It speaks to a slow, deliberate process, almost at odds with the wildness of the subject. Curator: Indeed. Barye challenges us to confront the power dynamics inherent in observing and representing the natural world and its inhabitants. Editor: It does make you wonder about the labor behind the piece, the materials chosen, and how they reflect Barye's understanding of the jaguar's place in the world. It's a fascinating tension.