Bathyergus suillus (Cape dune mole-rat) Possibly 1777 - 1778

Robert Jacob Gordon created this drawing of a Bathyergus suillus, or Cape dune mole-rat, using pen and ink with watercolour, sometime before his death in 1795. The mole-rat is depicted in profile, its cylindrical body dominating the composition. The pale, muted tones and delicate linework give it a soft, almost ethereal quality. Consider the implications of Gordon's meticulous representation. The mole-rat, rendered with scientific precision, becomes more than just an animal; it's a specimen, an object of study. The careful shading and attention to texture invite a reading of the animal as a signifier of both natural beauty and scientific inquiry. This tension between aesthetics and science invites us to consider the broader context of 18th-century exploration and the drive to classify and understand the natural world. It highlights how even seemingly straightforward depictions can be rich with cultural and intellectual meaning. Gordon’s drawing serves not only as a record but also as a reflection of his era's complex relationship with nature.