Kaapse watermeloen en gladiool Possibly 1786 - 1787

Jan Brandes created this watercolor of a Cape watermelon and gladiolus in 1786. Brandes was a traveler and artist in the service of the Dutch East India Company, an organization whose global trade practices shaped the world we know now. This image, which depicts a watermelon and gladiolus flower, is more than just a pretty picture. As an employee of the VOC, Brandes was part of a colonial system that extracted resources from the Cape. Watermelons, indigenous to Africa, and gladiolus flowers, native to South Africa, become stand-ins for the complex relationships between colonizers and the colonized. Brandes' meticulous rendering of these plants reflects a desire to document and classify the natural world, a common practice during the Enlightenment. This watercolor shows a moment in time marked by exploration and exploitation. Brandes’ work invites us to reflect on the legacy of colonialism and its lasting impact on the land and its people.