DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49271#0138
SOME EARLY DRAWINGS OF HOTTENTOT WOMEN
E. A. Hooton, Ph.D., B.Litt.
Origin of the drawings. The Peabody Museum of Salem, Massachusetts, possesses
four unpublished drawings of Hottentot women. These drawings are of unusual interest,
and through the kindness of Dr. Lawrence W. Jenkins, Assistant Director of the Museum,
it has been possible to reproduce them here.1
The four drawings are the work of two artists, each of whom made two representa-
tions of his subject. One pair of drawings done in pencil and wash comprises a side view
and a rear view of the same woman (pl. 2, 3). The sheet on which the side view is drawn
includes also a small detail drawing of the so-called “Hottentot apron”. At the top of
the sheet is written “Exact reproduction of a Female Hottentot, at Cape of Good Hope,
March, 1803.” Certain descriptive notes are also written on the margin. The water-
mark on the paper is 1801. On the back of one of these drawings is written in a hand
different from that in which the marginal notes are inscribed: “At Mr. Oncrut’s, Strand
Street.” The dimensions of these drawings are 11 by 141 inches. They are unques-
tionably the work of the same artist. No further information concerning their history
is available.
The remaining two drawings are done in water colors. One of them is a full-length,
side view of a Hottentot woman, with a scale and various measurements of different
bodily proportions marked on the drawing (pl. 1). The other is a careful detail drawing
of the external genital organs of the same subject (pl. 4, fig. 1). The original of pl. 1
measures 19| by 10| inches inside the wide black margin. The corresponding measure-
ment on the detail drawing is 14| by 9j inches. Both are evidently the work of the same
artist, and the detail drawing is signed “L. M. Thibaul del et P Cap de Goode Hoop,
1801.” These drawings were presented to the East India Marine Society at some time
1 The Editor of the Harvard African Studies and the writer desire to acknowledge their indebtedness to Dr.
Jenkins for his kindness in loaning them the originals of these valuable drawings for reproduction, and for assistance
in tracing their history. The writer of this paper is also indebted to Mrs. R. F. A. Hoernld for several valuable sug-
gestions in regard to the drawings.
E. A. Hooton, Ph.D., B.Litt.
Origin of the drawings. The Peabody Museum of Salem, Massachusetts, possesses
four unpublished drawings of Hottentot women. These drawings are of unusual interest,
and through the kindness of Dr. Lawrence W. Jenkins, Assistant Director of the Museum,
it has been possible to reproduce them here.1
The four drawings are the work of two artists, each of whom made two representa-
tions of his subject. One pair of drawings done in pencil and wash comprises a side view
and a rear view of the same woman (pl. 2, 3). The sheet on which the side view is drawn
includes also a small detail drawing of the so-called “Hottentot apron”. At the top of
the sheet is written “Exact reproduction of a Female Hottentot, at Cape of Good Hope,
March, 1803.” Certain descriptive notes are also written on the margin. The water-
mark on the paper is 1801. On the back of one of these drawings is written in a hand
different from that in which the marginal notes are inscribed: “At Mr. Oncrut’s, Strand
Street.” The dimensions of these drawings are 11 by 141 inches. They are unques-
tionably the work of the same artist. No further information concerning their history
is available.
The remaining two drawings are done in water colors. One of them is a full-length,
side view of a Hottentot woman, with a scale and various measurements of different
bodily proportions marked on the drawing (pl. 1). The other is a careful detail drawing
of the external genital organs of the same subject (pl. 4, fig. 1). The original of pl. 1
measures 19| by 10| inches inside the wide black margin. The corresponding measure-
ment on the detail drawing is 14| by 9j inches. Both are evidently the work of the same
artist, and the detail drawing is signed “L. M. Thibaul del et P Cap de Goode Hoop,
1801.” These drawings were presented to the East India Marine Society at some time
1 The Editor of the Harvard African Studies and the writer desire to acknowledge their indebtedness to Dr.
Jenkins for his kindness in loaning them the originals of these valuable drawings for reproduction, and for assistance
in tracing their history. The writer of this paper is also indebted to Mrs. R. F. A. Hoernld for several valuable sug-
gestions in regard to the drawings.