Portret van Karl Friedrich August Gützlaff

Franciscus Bernardus Waanders made this print of Karl Friedrich August Gützlaff. Prints like these were the mass media of the 19th century, and this one makes a public statement. Look at Gützlaff's confident pose and the Western-style suit that symbolizes his achievements, but think about the history behind that statement. Born in Prussia, Gützlaff became a missionary in East Asia. He traveled extensively in areas of China that were normally closed to outsiders. There, he distributed religious tracts. He also facilitated trade between China and the West. He worked as a translator for the British. His work played a role in the Opium Wars. Was he a man who brought knowledge and faith to China, or was he a tool of colonial expansion? Understanding prints like these calls for archival research and historical contextualization.