A Black Curassow 1670 - 1727

Curator: Johannes Bronckhorst’s “A Black Curassow," made between 1670 and 1727, uses watercolor to bring this bird to life. What’s your initial reaction? Editor: I'm struck by its stillness, a kind of quiet watchfulness. There's something almost melancholy about its posture, the way its head droops. Curator: Interesting observation. Bronckhorst created this piece during a period of increased exploration and colonization. We have to consider the larger framework within which such images were produced. Think about the scientific categorization and often, the objectification of the natural world during that era. Editor: That makes sense. This isn’t just an innocent portrayal of a bird, it's situated within a power dynamic, the urge to classify and control. I’m wondering about what this commission may have been; was this to illustrate the curiosities from other lands to fascinate audiences back home? Curator: Possibly. The social and scientific context informed artistic choices. Realism here is harnessed for colonial agendas. This particular curassow might have been seen as a strange, exotic, newly discovered prize. Editor: Its dark plumage makes the red markings around the eye stand out—drawing my attention to the animal’s gaze. It complicates the idea of simple scientific illustration by injecting a palpable sense of personality. How unusual it is that so many portraits are anthropomorphic; yet here this fowl appears particularly self-aware? Curator: Perhaps that's our contemporary sensibility projecting onto the image, or maybe Bronckhorst possessed unusual empathy! But even then, we cannot ignore the power dynamics at play: Whose gaze are we truly seeing? Is it the bird's, Bronckhorst's, the patron's or even our own, conditioned by centuries of unequal exchange? Editor: Food for thought. It reminds us that even seemingly straightforward depictions are loaded with context and reflect the politics of their time. It gives a much needed and quite urgent depth to what could appear like a basic ornithological study. Curator: Precisely! It showcases how vital it is to challenge the accepted understanding, even of historical scientific pieces like this to unpack the deeper threads within.