The Bead Snake 1731 - 1743

Mark Catesby made this watercolor, gouache, and graphite drawing called "The Bead Snake", likely in the first half of the 18th century. Catesby was an English naturalist who traveled extensively in the Americas, documenting the flora and fauna he encountered. This image captures a moment of encounter, a meeting of the European gaze and the American landscape. Catesby’s work was part of a broader colonial project, one that sought to classify and catalogue the natural world for European audiences. Think about the power dynamics at play, the way knowledge is collected, and whose stories get told. The snake itself, with its patterned skin, becomes a symbol of the exotic, rendered in exquisite detail for a European audience hungry for new discoveries. Yet, it also invites a sense of wonder, a glimpse into the intricate beauty of a world still unfamiliar. It is a piece of natural history but also a reflection of cultural exchange, with all its complexities and contradictions.