Captain of hottentotis
18th century
Draped in a magnificent fur cloak that cascades to the ground, this figure commands attention with a long staff and a striking golden neck ring. Created by French explorer François Levaillant during his late 18th-century travels in Southern Africa, this illustration depicts a leader of the Khoikhoi people. Levaillant was a famous naturalist who brought back thousands of animal specimens to Paris, and this image serves as a fascinating visual record of indigenous leadership and traditional regalia—like the heavy skin cloak known as a kaross—despite the title using an outdated colonial term.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving
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