Robert Jacob Gordon (1743-1795) was a Dutch soldier and explorer. In 1776, he was posted at Cape Town by the Dutch East India Company. He undertook several exploratory journeys resulting in detailed drawings of flora and fauna. He also learned the indigenous languages and recorded their customs and religious rites. Gordon was shortly promoted to colonel after his arrival and stayed in South Africa until his death. His achievements in zoology are remarkable, as he almost single-handedly collected and classified some 250 animals and plants. One hundred of his South African botanical watercolor sketches were published in the Gordon Atlas. We have digitally enhanced some of these public domain artworks. They are free to download and use under the CC0 license.
Robert Jacob Gordon (1743-1795) was a Dutch soldier and explorer. In 1776, he was posted at Cape Town by the Dutch East India Company. He undertook several exploratory journeys resulting in detailed drawings of flora and fauna. He also learned the indigenous languages and recorded their customs and religious rites. Gordon was shortly promoted to colonel after his arrival and stayed in South Africa until his death. His achievements in zoology are remarkable, as he almost single-handedly collected and classified some 250 animals and plants. One hundred of his South African botanical watercolor sketches were published in the Gordon Atlas. We have digitally enhanced some of these public domain artworks. They are free to download and use under the CC0 license.