Cerf Dix-Cors 

Karl Bodmer created “Cerf Dix-Cors,” using the refined technique of engraving. Bodmer, born in Switzerland but gaining acclaim in France, contributed significantly to the cultural image-making around nature and wildlife. Here we see a ten-point stag depicted in a dense forest. Bodmer presents it in a way that evokes Romantic notions of the sublime and the picturesque. Yet, one can not ignore how images such as these were implicated in the colonial project and reflect a European gaze imposed on the natural world. This perspective exoticized landscapes, and the romantic lens often disregarded the intrinsic value of nature, as well as the people who inhabited these spaces. Bodmer's skilled draftsmanship invites a sense of wonder, but it’s important to recognize the historical context in which this image was produced and consumed. These images were often used to reinforce a sense of European mastery over nature, a mastery that, in reality, had profound and often destructive consequences.