Les Habitants de Suriname. Notes recueillies à l'Exposition Coloniale d'Amsterdam en 1883 1884

This is the cover of "Les Habitants de Suriname," a book of notes collected at the Colonial Exposition in Amsterdam in 1883. The book by Friedrich Carel Hisgen offers insights into the complex relationship between the Netherlands and its colony, Suriname. Colonial expositions were a product of their time; displays of imperial power intended to educate and impress upon the public the benefits of colonial expansion. Hisgen’s book must be understood as a cultural artifact, complicit in constructing a particular image of Suriname and its inhabitants for European consumption. The cover uses a limited color palette of green and gold, typical of Dutch design, and the eagle motif evokes imperial power. To truly understand this work, we can examine the broader context of Dutch colonialism and its impact on Surinamese society. Researching archival materials, exhibition catalogs, and travel accounts, can give us further information about how the Dutch represented their colonial subjects. Through this careful analysis, we begin to understand the power dynamics at play.