"A Black ‘White Elephant,’" by John Tenniel

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A Black ‘White Elephant’

John Tenniel

1879

Punch (27 September 1879): 139.

This is Tenniel’s satirical commentary on the capture of King Cetawayo, who was arrested on 28th of August, 1879, following his defeat at the Battle of Ulundi. John Bull wonders what to do with him: a Black leader who is a ‘white elephant’ – in British slang, someone who stands out and is difficult to deal with. [Commentary continues below.]

Image scan and text by Simon Cooke

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The half-comic solutions are typical of the racism of the time: he could join The Great Farini’s (William Leonard Hunt’s) ‘human zoo’ of ‘friendly Zulus,’ although Farini’s advice, whispered into John Bull’s ear, is that he could be handed over to the Royal Aquarium, which was set up in 1876. In either case, Cetawayo is regarded as an exhibit and as an animal, a strange fish destined for the curious gaze of a White society. The visual characterization of the king is itself a racial stereotype which stresses the contrast between the ruler’s clothes and those of ‘civilized’ men. The elegance of Tenniel’s drawing is incongruously at odds with the ugliness of the cartoon’s message.

Created 27 February 2025