Afrotis afra (Southern black korhaan) Possibly 1778

This image is of the Afrotis afra, or Southern Black Korhaan, made in 1773 by Robert Jacob Gordon. As a military man working for the Dutch East India Company, Gordon traveled extensively in Southern Africa, recording the landscape, flora, and fauna, as well as the people he encountered. Here, he depicts the male of the species, Cassotis afra, in exquisite detail, along with meticulous notations. Gordon's work reflects the complicated intersection of scientific exploration and colonial expansion, and the seemingly straightforward illustration of this indigenous bird carries the weight of this historical context. The artist’s identity is inextricably linked to the context of the artwork. Consider the emotional weight of such an encounter – the cool, detached gaze of scientific observation set against the backdrop of cultural and environmental transformation. It invites us to consider the narratives we construct about ourselves and others, and the stories we choose to tell about the world around us.