The natural history of lions in North Africa and the relevance of their depiction in the “Lions Attacking a Dromedary” diorama

IF 1 4区 社会学 0 HUMANITIES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY Curator: The Museum Journal Pub Date : 2023-07-26 DOI:10.1111/cura.12564
Amina Fellous-Djardini, Nobuyuki Yamaguchi, Hadi Al Hikmani, Brahim Haddane, Simon A. Black
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Abstract

The diorama “Lions Attacking a Dromedary” is notorious, not just as a remarkable 19th century example of taxidermy, but also its controversial representation of human culture and animals, its questionable accuracy and the murky ethics of the materials sourced for its construction. This study examines whether the diorama is a reasonable representation of the Barbary lion in North Africa. We review the history of lions in North Africa and their interaction with humans in the 19th and 20th centuries. The ecology and biology of North African lions, supported by scientific knowledge of the species, enables assessment of the value of diorama depiction, whether it is realistic and informative, or an artistic interpretation, or mere fiction. Furthermore, if the depiction is fictional, whether the representation is entirely unrepresentative, or at worst a stereotypic fabrication based on Western colonial perspectives of the 1800s. The paper does not explore cultural aspects, although refers to the experiences of people in local communities as well as colonial visitors through 150 documented accounts of lions in the region (modern day Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia) between 1830 and 1960. The analysis explores whether real experiences are reflected in the depiction presented in the diorama and identifies that some aspects of the exhibit can be considered authentic, while others appear to emphasize drama rather than lived reality. Recommendations are offered for well-informed future presentation of “Lions Attacking a Dromedary.”

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北非狮子的自然历史及其在“狮子攻击无人机”立体模型中的描绘相关性
这幅“狮子攻击单峰骆驼”的立体模型臭名昭著,不仅因为它是19世纪标本剥制术的杰出典范,还因为它对人类文化和动物的描绘引起了争议,它的准确性令人质疑,而且它的建造材料的伦理也很模糊。本研究考察了立体模型是否是北非巴巴里狮子的合理代表。我们回顾了19世纪和20世纪北非狮子的历史以及它们与人类的互动。北非狮子的生态学和生物学,在对该物种的科学知识的支持下,可以评估立体模型描绘的价值,无论它是现实的和信息的,还是艺术的解释,或者仅仅是虚构的。此外,如果描述是虚构的,那么这种表现是否完全没有代表性,或者最坏的情况是基于19世纪西方殖民观点的刻板印象。这篇论文没有探讨文化方面的问题,但通过1830年至1960年间该地区(现代摩洛哥、阿尔及利亚和突尼斯)150份关于狮子的文献记录,参考了当地社区居民和殖民游客的经历。分析探讨了真实的经历是否反映在立体模型的描绘中,并确定了展览的某些方面可以被认为是真实的,而其他方面似乎强调戏剧而不是生活的现实。为“狮子攻击单峰骆驼”的未来演示提供了建议。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
Curator: The Museum Journal
Curator: The Museum Journal HUMANITIES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY-
CiteScore
1.70
自引率
10.00%
发文量
63
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