Lycaon pictus (African wild dog) Possibly 1777 - 1788

Robert Jacob Gordon rendered these African wild dogs in ink and watercolor. Look at the patterns: no two dogs bear the same marks. In the late 18th century, the age of exploration brought with it the desire to capture the exotic. Observe how the dogs mirror the posture of canids throughout art history. Consider the fierce dogs guarding the gates of the underworld in ancient Greek ceramics, symbols of vigilance and protection. Our dogs, however, are caught in a different role, subjects of scientific scrutiny. The quest to categorize and control nature, driven by the Enlightenment, reveals itself in this act of documentation. Yet, despite this empirical intention, something primal remains. These dogs are not merely specimens. They retain a wild essence, a connection to an untamed world that tugs at our subconscious. They resurface through history, embodying cultural anxieties.