Miss Clara and the Celebrity Beast in Art, 1500 – 1860

Miss Clara, a female Indian rhinoceros who arrived in Rotterdam in 1741, was one of the superstars of the 18th century. The first rhinoceros sighted in mainland Europe since 1579, Clara was feted wherever she was displayed – from Brussels to Venice, Paris to Prague, and Rome to Warsaw and London – where she died in 1758. At each destination, Clara was viewed by kings, queens, courtiers and commoners. She inspired works of art and a lucrative trade in memorabilia – from luxury souvenirs such as clocks and paintings to medals, cheap popular posters and prints – and even hairstyles!

Spanning three centuries, this Miss Clara and the Celebrity Beast in Art, 1500-1800 explores Clara’s story in bronze and marble sculpture, from public and private collections across the UK, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Bowes Museum and the Rothschild Family Trust. It also features ceramics, coins, paintings, prints and drawings by major artists such as Dürer, Rembrandt, Hollar, Longhi and Oudry.

It also considers the emergence of menageries and zoos, and the significance of the capture and captivity of these big beasts within wider discussions of colonialism and empire. Other celebrity beasts sharing the spotlight including the elephants Hanno, Hansken, Jumbo and Chunee, and Obaysch, who in the 1850s became the first hippopotamus seen in Europe since Roman times.