Vier kalkoenen 1654 - 1712

This print, titled *Vier kalkoenen*, or Four Turkeys, was created by an anonymous artist. This image offers us a glimpse into the world of natural history and early zoological illustration. During a period of increased global exploration and colonization, the documentation of flora and fauna became a way for Europeans to catalogue and assert dominion over the natural world. Here, the artist depicts turkeys, birds native to the Americas, within a European context. Consider the act of observation inherent in this work. Who is observing whom? Are we invited to marvel at the natural world, or are we implicated in a dynamic of power and control? The cultural and economic values associated with the turkey as both a commodity and symbol of cultural exchange are deeply embedded in its representation. The seemingly simple portrayal of turkeys belies a web of historical, social, and economic relationships that continue to shape our understanding of the natural world.