Leopard c. 1790

This wood engraving of a leopard was created by Thomas Bewick, an English engraver and ornithologist, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Bewick is best known for his detailed illustrations of British wildlife, and this print reflects the growing scientific interest in natural history during that period. The image of the leopard is striking for its realism, but it also reveals the influence of colonialism on European culture. As Europeans explored and colonized new lands, they brought back images and specimens of exotic animals, which were displayed in museums and menageries. Bewick's print offered viewers a glimpse of a faraway creature. To fully understand the print, we can consult sources such as natural history books, travel narratives, and museum collections, all of which shed light on the complex social and political dynamics that shaped the production and consumption of images in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.