Rijksmuseum Amsterdam acquires a rare rhinoceros Clara statue at TEFAF

The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has announced the acquisition of a rare 18th-century terracotta statue depicting Clara, the rhinoceros who, in the 18th century, became a celebrity throughout Europe. The work, 50 centimeters tall and attributed to Dutch scientist and artist Petrus Camper (Leiden, 1722 - Hague, 1789), was purchased during the 2024 edition of TEFAF, the prestigious Maastricht art and antiques fair. For the museum, this is a purchase of great historical and artistic value, enriching the collection with a three-dimensional representation of Clara. Until now, in fact, the Rijksmuseum owned only drawings of the animal. The acquisition was made possible thanks to support from the Johan Huizinga Fonds through the Rijksmuseum Fonds and a private donor.

“Having this impressive statue of Clara in the museum means we will be able to continue to tell her story,” says Taco Dibbits, general director of the Rijksmuseum. “This very realistic version of Clara touches us emotionally; she looks like she could start walking at any moment.”

An 18th-century icon

Clara was not the first rhinoceros to set foot in Europe, but certainly the most famous. Born in India, she arrived on the continent in 1741, brought by Dutch merchant Douwe Mout van der Meer, who immediately sensed her potential attractiveness. For the next 17 years, the animal was the star of an incredible journey through major European cities, drawing curious crowds wherever it stopped.

From Vienna to Paris, Naples to Copenhagen, Clara was exhibited at markets, fairs, carnivals and even royal courts, becoming an object of admiration and study. Her owner transported her on a specially designed wagon, showing the public an exotic being that until then had only been imagined. Her presence aroused unprecedented fascination: nobles, scientists, artists and ordinary citizens flocked to see, draw and analyze her. Her life, however, was marked by total dependence on humans. Unable to move freely or behave naturally, Clara became a living symbol of a world yet to be discovered. She died in 1758 in London, leaving behind an extraordinary cultural legacy.

Dürer and the image of the rhinoceros

The immense curiosity that Clara aroused also stemmed from the scarcity of realistic depictions of her species. Prior to its arrival in Europe, the only known image of a rhinoceros was one made in 1515 by the great German artist Albrecht Dürer. The famous woodcut, based on rather fanciful descriptions, showed an armored animal with a second horn on its back and an almost mythological appearance.

With the appearance of Clara, myth gave way to reality. For the first time, scholars and artists had the opportunity to observe a real specimen up close and to reproduce its forms more accurately. Naturalists and anatomists examined every detail of its body, while painters and sculptors were fascinated by the folds of its skin and its imposing proportions.

A rare and valuable statue

The terracotta statue purchased by the Rijksmuseum is considered one of the finest depictions of Clara that has come down to us. Attributed to Petrus Camper, a leading scientific and artistic figure of the time, the work is distinguished by its realism and attention to detail. Camper, known for his studies of comparative anatomy, devoted himself to the representation of animals with a rigorous approach, seeking to faithfully render the physical characteristics of the species examined. The statue fits into a rich iconographic landscape: Clara was immortalized in paintings, prints, sculptures, and decorative objects, becoming a true cultural phenomenon.

The Rijksmuseum had already paid tribute to Clara in 2022 with an exhibition dedicated to her, exploring how her arrival influenced the world of art and science. The exhibition was accompanied by the book Clara the Rhinoceros, an in-depth look at her history and the many artistic depictions that immortalized her appearance. The exhibition and publication were also made possible through the support of private donors, confirming the interest still alive in this extraordinary protagonist of 18th-century Europe.

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam acquires a rare rhinoceros Clara statue at TEFAF

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