The Croker (Perca undulata) Possibly 1731 - 1743

Mark Catesby produced this etching and engraving of The Croker, also known as Perca undulata, sometime in the first half of the 18th century. Catesby was an English naturalist who traveled extensively in the American colonies. His images reflect an era when natural science was deeply entwined with colonial expansion. Think about it: this wasn't just about documenting nature, but about claiming knowledge of the New World and its resources. The precise rendering of the fish is almost clinical, but consider what is left out: the indigenous knowledge of these creatures, the impact of colonial fishing practices, and any sense of the fish as living beings within an ecosystem. Catesby's work served the interests of empire. What does it mean to look at this image today, aware of the historical context of extraction and exploitation? How can we look at this image and remember the lives and knowledge erased in its making?