Rauvolfia tetraphylla 1738

This is Jan Wandelaar's depiction of Rauvolfia tetraphylla, created sometime between 1690 and 1759. Wandelaar, born in Amsterdam, was working during the height of the Dutch colonial expansion. It is impossible to separate these botanical illustrations from the history of colonialism. These serene drawings were part of a larger project of cataloging and appropriating the natural resources of colonized lands. How do we reconcile the delicate beauty of Wandelaar's rendering with its connection to the exploitation of land and labor? The act of naming and classifying was, and remains, a way of exerting power. Consider the legacy of these images, not merely as scientific records, but as cultural artifacts deeply embedded in the power structures of their time. They invite us to reflect on the complex and often contradictory relationship between art, science, and colonialism.