Landschap, West-Java c. 1816 - 1846

This pencil drawing, made by Adrianus Johannes Bik, presents a landscape of West Java. It is typical of the kind of work produced during the Dutch colonial period. The image is infused with the visual codes of imperial expansion. Note the way the wildness of the landscape is ‘tamed’ by the surveying gaze. The composition invites viewers to imagine themselves as masters of this land. This was a period when the Dutch East India Company held significant power, extracting resources and establishing plantations. These landscapes played a crucial role in promoting the colony's economic potential. Looking at Bik’s drawing, we might consider the role of art institutions in shaping perceptions of the colonies, and how these images served the interests of empire. Further research into the archives of the Dutch East India Company could reveal more about the social context of this work. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.