Aankomst van Prins Diepo Negro in Magelang 1835

Wilhelmus van Groenewoud created this print titled 'Arrival of Prince Diepo Negro in Magelang'. The print offers a window into the complex dynamics of 19th-century colonial Java. As an artist working within the Dutch colonial context, van Groenewoud’s position was certainly influenced by the power structures of the time. The image captures a formal arrival, with Prince Diepo Negro amidst a gathering of seated figures who are presumably local Javanese people. This staging invites us to consider the performance of power and the representation of the colonized. How does the artist frame the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized? Are these people subjects, or are they participants in their own narrative? The prince's presence is a point of intersection between indigenous leadership and colonial authority. This print, while seemingly a historical record, encourages us to reflect on the emotional and cultural implications of colonial encounters, and how these histories shape contemporary identities.