Phoeniconaias minor (Lesser flamingo) Possibly 1777 - 1786

Robert Jacob Gordon made this study of a Lesser flamingo with pen, ink and watercolor. These materials are quite traditional, yet the approach, that of scientific observation, moves beyond fine art as such. Consider the paper itself, probably handmade, and the fine hairs of the brushstrokes. Gordon would have had to apply them delicately, building up the image gradually. In some areas, like the pink feathers of the flamingo, the marks are more visible. The image has an interesting social context. Gordon worked for the Dutch East India Company, and his drawings were part of the documentation of natural resources, produced for colonial interests. They are a record of a place and time, with a clear purpose tied to labor, politics, and consumption. Ultimately, this beautiful watercolor encourages us to think about the relationship between aesthetics and other forms of knowledge. It challenges the distinction between artistic and scientific practices.