Medal, G.L.C.F.D. [Georges] Cuvier, from the 'Medaillier Français Célèbres XIX Siecle' series
Production date
1820
Production person
F.A. Caunois
Labels
This medal depicts and celebrates Georges Cuvier, a prominent French naturalist and anatomist in the early 19th century. He is remembered for his scientific contributions to palaeontology and comparative anatomy. However, his involvement in the case of Sarah Baartman serves as evidence of his racist views on evolution, reflecting the colonial attitudes of his time.
Sarah Baartman, a KhoiKhoi woman from South Africa, was persuaded or coerced to leave her homeland and taken to Europe in 1810. In London and Paris, she was displayed publicly as the "Hottentot Venus", an objectified spectacle advertised as an oddity because of her physique, particularly her hips and buttocks, which Europeans deemed as unusual. She became a well-known figure, sparking not only fascination but also scientific curiosity. She faced extreme mistreatment and dehumanisation.
When Baartman died in 1815, Cuvier obtained her remains for close anatomical study. Baartman had refused to partake in such studies when she was alive. His examination and publication reinforced racial stereotypes and presented her body as proof of supposed hierarchy between races, perpetuating harmful pseudoscientific ideas. Her skeleton and a plaster cast of her body were displayed in French museums until the late 20th century. It wasn't until 2002, after international calls for her dignity, that Baartman's remains were repatriated to South Africa. The burial took place on National Women’s Day in South Africa, a fitting date to lay her to rest.
Baartman’s story reflects both personal exploitation, the harsh reality of the treatment of people of colour at this time, and the broader harms caused by scientific racism. Cuvier's treatment of her stands as a cautionary example of how science, when warped by prejudice, can contribute to oppressive narratives and reinforce inequity.
