Staande olifant, naar links Possibly 1786 - 1789

Petrus Camper rendered this elephant standing to the left in ink and watercolor on paper. These were, and still are, traditional materials, but the context of their use is interesting here. Camper’s image is an exercise in observation and documentation. The washes of color and careful linework seem dedicated to capturing the animal’s very particular bulk and bearing. Yet this work also speaks to a history of scientific curiosity, when European naturalists were attempting to classify and understand the diversity of the natural world. Indeed, it is inscribed with notes and measurements related to the elephant, as well as a signature and date – 1782. The elephant would have been seen as an exotic rarity at that time, and the image speaks to the age of exploration and colonialism that enabled its display. By attending to the materials and the making, we can better understand the impulse behind this drawing. It is both an artwork and a means of investigation.