Disa uniflora Bergius (Red disa; or Pride of Table Mountain) Possibly 1777 - 1786

Robert Jacob Gordon made this watercolor of Disa uniflora, or "Pride of Table Mountain", a famously beautiful orchid, probably in the 1770s or 80s. Gordon was a Dutch military officer of Scottish descent, serving in the Dutch East India Company. He was also an explorer, naturalist and artist. As a product of the Enlightenment, Gordon saw no conflict in combining military service with scientific inquiry. This image gives us insight into how botany was mobilized in support of the colonial project. Gordon’s representations of the natural world amount to a form of territorial claim. Here, the artist meticulously records the appearance of this much-admired flower so that it can be classified, studied, and, in a sense, possessed. The art historian can look at the work of people like Gordon to better understand the relationship between scientific institutions and the history of colonial expansion. The records they made are now valuable research resources.