Leeuw valt een houthakker aan 1676

This engraving, titled "Leeuw valt een houthakker aan," or "Lion Attacking a Woodcutter," presents a complex tableau of colonization, labor, and nature, rendered by an anonymous hand. The scene unfolds with a stark juxtaposition: In the foreground, a lion assaults a woodcutter, while in the background, a bustling colonial settlement thrives under palm trees. Ships suggest a maritime connection to Europe, hinting at trade and the exploitation of resources. Bodies wading in the water and smoke rising from the land also evoke a sense of exploitation. The vulnerability of the woodcutter—likely an indentured servant or enslaved person—confronted by the predatory lion serves as a potent metaphor for the perils faced by those forced into labor in unfamiliar lands. The lion, as an agent of nature, disrupts the narrative of colonial progress. Ultimately, the image invites us to reflect on the human cost of colonial expansion and the narratives of power and exploitation that are so deeply embedded in our history.