Eenige dieren u bekend, / Ziet gy ook op deze prent; / Maar u hunnen aard te leêren, / Zult gy van prent begeren

This print, made by Johan Noman, presents a grid of animals, each neatly boxed. The Dutch Golden Age, during which Noman lived, was marked by burgeoning scientific curiosity, and a belief in the power of observation and categorization. This print emerges from that context, aiming to educate its viewer about the natural world. However, it also reflects a colonial gaze, a desire to classify and control. Consider the animals depicted: some are familiar, others exotic, hinting at the vastness of the Dutch empire and its global reach. How might these images have shaped Dutch perceptions of the world and their place within it? What emotional impact might these images of ‘known’ and ‘unknown’ animals have had on viewers, fostering curiosity, perhaps, but also reinforcing a sense of cultural and racial superiority? This print serves not only as a window into the natural world, but also into the social and political dynamics of its time.