Mahote, chieftain of the Dange Xhosa c. 1776 - 1777

Robert Jacob Gordon, a Dutch military officer and explorer, created this watercolor drawing of Mahote, a Xhosa chief, during his travels in southern Africa in the late 18th century. At first glance, this image appears to be a straightforward depiction of a Xhosa leader. Yet, it is essential to consider the context in which Gordon, an agent of colonial expansion, encountered and represented Mahote. Gordon's gaze, influenced by European notions of race and hierarchy, inevitably shaped his portrayal. The image oscillates between ethnographic documentation and the exoticizing tendencies of colonial art. While Gordon meticulously records Mahote's attire and adornments, he also positions him within a visual framework that reinforces European power dynamics. Consider how the act of naming, of labeling Mahote as 'chief', situates him within a Western understanding of social structure. What tensions emerge when we consider the power dynamics inherent in this encounter, and how might we understand this image as a complex site of cultural exchange, observation, and representation?