Euryops lateriflorus (L.f.) DC. (Cape gumtree) Possibly 1777 - 1786

Robert Jacob Gordon made this drawing of a Euryops lateriflorus, or Cape gumtree, at an unknown date. Gordon was a Dutch military officer and explorer of Scottish descent, who served in the Dutch East India Company in the late 18th century. This image represents more than just botanical illustration. It is a product of European expansion and scientific exploration. The detailed rendering of the plant reflects the Enlightenment's drive to classify and understand the natural world. Made in the Dutch Cape Colony, this image embodies the complex relationship between European colonizers and the South African landscape. Such illustrations were instrumental in shaping European perceptions, informing economic exploitation, and furthering colonial power. Understanding the context in which this image was made allows us to delve deeper into the social and institutional forces that shaped artistic production in the colonial era. In archives in the Netherlands and South Africa, you can find maps, journals, and other images that reveal the history of colonialism and science.