Koning van Ternate begroet door edellieden 1676

This print, 'Koning van Ternate begroet door edellieden,' was made anonymously. The method used was engraving, a process that involves incising lines into a metal plate, inking it, and pressing it onto paper. The resulting image is all about line. Notice how the cross-hatching creates tone and shadow, and helps to describe the textures of clothing and architecture. What is most striking about this print, however, is not only the skilled work of the engraver, but the scene it represents: a meeting between a European official, likely Dutch, and a local ruler in Ternate, an island in Indonesia. The encounter is elaborately staged, complete with honor guards and attendants. It speaks to the cultural exchanges and power dynamics of the colonial era. Prints like these played a vital role in shaping European perceptions of far-off lands. They bring into focus the way images can become instruments of trade and cultural expansion.