Mola mola (Ocean sunfish) after 1783

Editor: Here we have Robert Jacob Gordon's *Mola mola (Ocean sunfish)*, a watercolor, ink, and pencil drawing from after 1783. It strikes me as such a curious creature, almost whimsical in its form. How do you interpret this work, particularly considering the time it was made? Curator: What I see here is more than just a natural history illustration. Consider Gordon's context: a military commander and explorer in service of the Dutch East India Company. This drawing exists within a larger project of colonial documentation. How might the act of cataloging flora and fauna also be an act of claiming territory and knowledge? Editor: So, you're suggesting that scientific observation was intertwined with colonial power? Curator: Precisely. The "objective" eye of the naturalist isn't neutral; it's embedded in a system of power. Think about who gets to name and classify the world. What perspectives are silenced or marginalized in that process? Is this Mola mola just a fish or does it become symbolic? Editor: That’s a profound way to look at it. I had initially viewed it through a purely biological lens, marveling at its anatomy. Curator: And that’s perfectly valid. But by examining the historical context, we can begin to unpack the layers of meaning embedded in even seemingly straightforward depictions of the natural world. It also invites reflection on how the scientific gaze shaped colonial narratives and exploitation. What does it mean to depict the natural world through a colonial lens? Editor: I never thought of it like that. Seeing this sunfish as a part of a much bigger story changes everything! Thanks. Curator: It's in these connections that we start to understand the full complexity of the artwork and its place in history.