Ontwerp voor een reparatiewerf met dokgelegenheid in de haven van Batavia 1889 - 1890

This anonymous design drawing shows a proposed repair dock at Tandjong Priok, the harbor of Batavia, now Jakarta. The drawing provides a bird's-eye view of the harbor with labeled docks and repair facilities. The image creates meaning through its precise technical rendering, evoking the planned industrialization of the Dutch East Indies. Made during the Dutch colonial period, the drawing reflects the economic structures of the time. The Dutch East India Company, and later the Dutch government, sought to exploit the resources of the archipelago through trade and infrastructure projects like this harbor. Batavia served as the administrative and commercial center of the Dutch East Indies, and its harbor was crucial for shipping goods. Further research into Dutch colonial archives and economic history would help us to understand the full implications of this design for the local population and economy. The meaning of this image, therefore, is contingent on its socio-political context.