A Peruvian Spider Monkey (Ateles chamek) 1759

Aert Schouman created this watercolor of a Peruvian Spider Monkey at an unknown date. During the 18th century, depictions of animals served not only scientific purposes but also reflected European colonial expansion and its impact on the natural world. As Europeans explored and colonized new territories, images of exotic animals like this spider monkey captured the imagination of people back home, while simultaneously reinforcing a sense of European dominance and control over the natural world. The monkey in Schouman's work is a living being, but it also becomes a symbol of colonial encounters and scientific exploration. Representations like these contributed to shaping European attitudes towards the non-European world and its inhabitants, both human and animal. It invites us to think critically about the power dynamics embedded in artistic representations of nature.