Vuursteenpistool after 1703

These flintlock pistols were made by Barend Penterman, an Amsterdam gunsmith who died in 1723. At first glance, they are ornamental objects, designed with decorative inlays of silver. Consider for a moment the purpose of these objects. These are weapons of power, created during a period of Dutch colonial expansion. It’s hard to disassociate these objects from the violence enacted by the Dutch East and West India Companies. We must also remember that the development and global distribution of firearms dramatically altered dynamics of power between the colonizers and colonized. The craftsmanship and artistry of the pistols complicate their relationship to colonial violence. This piece offers an opportunity to reflect on the intertwined nature of beauty, power, and violence, and how they shape our understanding of history.