Graftombe van Michiel Adriaansz. de Ruyter 1677 - 1738

This is Joseph Mulder's engraving of Michiel Adriaansz. de Ruyter's tomb, created sometime between Mulder's birth in 1658 and death in 1718. De Ruyter was a celebrated admiral in the Dutch Navy, a hero in a burgeoning colonial power built on maritime trade and naval dominance. But engravings like this were not simply neutral records. They were powerful tools in shaping public memory and national identity. Note the allegorical figures flanking de Ruyter's likeness, as well as the naval flags above. These elements elevated de Ruyter from a mere mortal to a symbol of Dutch prowess and virtue. What interests me most is how this image participates in constructing a narrative of Dutch exceptionalism, a story that often obscures the violence and exploitation inherent in colonial expansion. By focusing on the individual heroism of de Ruyter, the engraving redirects attention from the larger systemic issues of empire, leaving us to consider the legacies of power and representation.