Botanicus 1780 - 1787

Editor: This is "Botanicus," a drawing in ink on paper made around 1780 by Cornelis Brouwer, housed at the Rijksmuseum. It's quite a detailed genre scene... but what really stands out is the overwhelming focus on the study of plants! What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a window into the intellectual and social life of the late 18th century, where botany wasn't just science, it was entangled with power. Consider who had access to this kind of knowledge, this leisurely study? Editor: Well, they all seem pretty well-off... There's a gathering of people around a table filled with botanical specimens and books. It seems like a privileged activity. Curator: Precisely. The pursuit of botany here signifies more than just a scientific interest. Think about colonial expansion at that time, and how botany was intrinsically linked to it. The very act of classifying and studying plants facilitated exploitation and control over resources in colonized lands. Doesn’t that knowledge shift how you perceive this seemingly innocent scene? Editor: So the gathering is about power as much as knowledge. They aren't just discussing plants; they're, in a way, mapping out the world for resource extraction? It gives the image a darker undercurrent. Curator: Exactly! And who benefits from that control? It leads to discussions of class, access, and the legacy of colonial science that shapes our understanding of nature today. Consider how these narratives play out even now, influencing discussions about environmental justice. Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way. Seeing it as part of a larger political and economic system makes me reconsider my understanding of art's function and purpose. It's really not so simple, is it? Curator: Not at all. This piece becomes a lens through which to critically examine historical and contemporary power dynamics, hopefully furthering more egalitarian and just relationships between us, and nature.