Jacht op luipaarden 1708 - 1767

Johann Ridinger created this print, "Leopard Hunt," sometime in the 18th century, using engraving techniques. It depicts a scene of exotic violence, staged in an imagined Asia. Images like this reflect Europe's fascination with, and projection onto, the East. The hunters, dressed in what Europeans would have imagined as 'eastern' garb, are actively hunting leopards. The print encapsulates the complex dynamics of colonialism, where the 'exotic' East is both a source of fascination and a site for exploitation. What is interesting here is the leopard skin draped on the horse; it has already been hunted, killed and commodified. What does this act of hunting reveal about the European desire to dominate and control the natural world? To fully understand this print, we can look into the history of orientalism in European art and the socio-political context of 18th-century Europe. This will help us to interpret the print’s visual codes and cultural references.