Jacht op olifanten 1708 - 1767

Johann Elias Ridinger created "Elephant Hunt" using etching techniques, a medium which allowed for detailed and reproducible images, in a time when Europe’s understanding of the world was expanding through exploration and colonization. The print allegorically depicts ‘America’ as the scene of the elephant hunt. Note how Indigenous hunters are central to the action. They are actively engaged in subduing an animal seen as exotic in Europe. This depiction raises questions about the relationship between the colonizers and the colonized. Are the hunters competent stewards of their land, or are they portrayed as savage, an idea which was commonly held by Europeans in the 18th century? Ridinger’s decision to portray this scene speaks to Europe’s fascination with, and simultaneous misunderstanding of, the ‘New World’. The emotional complexity of this artwork invites us to consider the historical and cultural biases embedded in its imagery. What does it mean to see a land and its people through the lens of colonial desire and exploitation?