West-Afrikaanse kraal 1746

Editor: This watercolor print from 1746, titled "West-Afrikaanse kraal," is attributed to Quentin Pierre Chedel. It depicts an aerial view of a settlement in West Africa. It’s incredibly detailed, almost map-like, yet something about the symmetrical arrangement feels a little... unnatural. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a document deeply embedded within the colonial gaze. Consider the date, 1746, height of the transatlantic slave trade. This isn’t an objective record, but a strategic visualization. Note the emphasis on order and containment—the circular wall, the neatly arranged houses. It suggests control, legibility. What narrative does that symmetry reinforce? Editor: So, you’re saying it's about projecting a European idea of order onto another culture? Curator: Exactly! The title translates to West African bead or kraal, yet the image prioritizes fortifications and layout. The figures are minimized, almost incidental. Consider the power dynamics inherent in representing a people and place in this way. Is this image really about the people of West Africa, or is it more about justifying European presence and exploitation? Editor: I never thought of it that way. It's like the artist is trying to show how easily this place could be managed. Curator: Precisely! Think about how landscape imagery often functioned as a tool of empire, staking claim to territories. What this piece reveals is less about West Africa, and more about the mindset of those who sought to dominate it. What is left out, often speaks the loudest. Editor: I'm glad we unpacked the hidden narrative behind this image, providing much to reflect on! Curator: Indeed! Now you’re starting to see how deeply entwined art and power really are.