Model of the Memorial of J.F. de Friderici 1812

Gerrit Schouten made this paper and wood model of the Memorial of J.F. de Friderici, though the exact date is unknown. It is an elaborate, Neoclassical monument dedicated to a governor-general of the Dutch colony of Suriname. It’s fascinating to consider the social context of this model. Suriname was a site of brutal exploitation, and the Dutch profited immensely from enslaved labor in sugar and coffee plantations. Friderici was part of that system. The monument is a formal and heroic celebration of a colonial administrator. But it also presents us with a visual paradox. It appears to be crafted with great care and precision, and we know that Gerrit Schouten was of mixed European and Indigenous descent. As historians, we can look at archives, plantation records, and other documents to better understand the complexities of colonial history, the relationship between colonizer and colonized, and the public role of art. It's important to remember that art doesn't exist in a vacuum, and this model is no exception.