Otocyon megalotis (Bat-eared fox) 1773 - 1780

This is Robert Jacob Gordon's "Otocyon megalotis (Bat-eared fox)." Though undated, it was likely made in the late 18th century. Gordon was a Dutch explorer, military officer, and naturalist of Scottish descent, who is best known for his travels in southern Africa. This drawing provides an interesting look into the colonial gaze through the eyes of a naturalist. The bat-eared fox is presented almost clinically, and is accompanied by meticulous notes. This approach reflects the scientific rationalism of the Enlightenment era. But notice how Gordon includes observations about the animal’s differences from the ‘Cape jackal,’ revealing an impulse to categorize and compare species, and implying a hierarchy where the ‘European’ is the standard. The image is a reminder of how scientific exploration was often intertwined with colonial power structures. This "objective" study of nature was always influenced by the cultural and personal biases of its authors.