Opgezette kop van een ram before 1897

Walter Dwight Wilcox captured this image of a ram's head, though the exact date remains unknown. Wilcox was a part of the generation that saw a growing tension between preservationist ethics and the human desire to dominate the landscape. During his time, the display of taxidermied animals was common, a symbol of conquest and control over nature. This work reflects an era when humans sought to immortalize their encounters with wildlife through collection and display, a practice that can be understood as both a form of admiration and a claim of ownership. Consider, what does it mean to transform a living being into an object of display? Looking at this photograph, we might reflect on our current relationship with the natural world. It prompts us to consider the ethical implications of our interactions with animals, and the stories we tell ourselves about our place in the ecosystem.