Liggende leopard, vendt mod højre 1638 - 1690

Marcus de Bye created this etching of a reclining leopard sometime in the 17th century. As Europeans colonized more and more of the world, images of exotic animals circulated widely. What does it mean to see this animal, indigenous to Africa and Asia, rendered in the controlled lines of a European printmaker? Consider how the print flattens the leopard, turning a living creature into a decorative pattern. The animal becomes a symbol of the exotic, a trophy of sorts, reduced to an object of study and possession for a European audience. The leopard’s gaze is direct, almost confrontational. I wonder, does it challenge the viewer, or is it a projection of European power and control onto the natural world? The print invites us to consider the complex power dynamics inherent in representation. It prompts us to reflect on how images shape our understanding of the world and its inhabitants.