Benedenstad Batavia 1870 - 1923

Willem Witsen created the watercolor work "Benedenstad Batavia". Batavia, now Jakarta, was the capital of the Dutch East Indies, and Witsen was part of a generation grappling with the legacy of Dutch colonialism. This work offers us a glimpse into the complexities of that history. We see the architecture of the city, a mix of European and Asian influences, rendered in delicate washes of color. The presence of local figures going about their daily lives reminds us of the human cost of colonial expansion and exploitation. The gaze is turned towards the architecture but also acknowledges the presence and labor of the local population. The work prompts questions about the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized, and the ways in which power dynamics are embedded in the landscape itself. Batavia might seem like a distant place, but the questions it raises about power, identity, and representation resonate deeply today.