Pedetes cafer (South African springhare) Possibly 1778 - 1779

Robert Jacob Gordon made this watercolor drawing of South African springhares sometime before his death in 1795. Gordon was a Dutch military officer and explorer, and his images give us some idea of what a European presence in South Africa looked like at the close of the 18th century. It's important to remember that, far from being neutral records, images like this played a role in the justification of colonial expansion. Gordon’s approach to these animals is analytical, almost clinical. With their measurements carefully noted, the springhares are presented as specimens to be studied, classified, and ultimately controlled. The artist frames the image with a thin black border. The image is also inscribed with text in Dutch. You might examine Gordon’s other drawings and journals to learn more about the culture of natural observation that he was a part of. By researching the history of institutions like the Dutch East India Company, you can better understand the political backdrop of this seemingly simple image of local fauna.