Pomegranate Possibly 1779 - 1787

This watercolor of a pomegranate was made by Jan Brandes, who lived from 1743 to 1808. The medium is deceptively simple: watercolor on paper. Yet, the result is a compelling image. Brandes made many such works, seemingly straightforward depictions of the natural world. But consider the social context: Brandes was a clergyman who traveled extensively in service of the Dutch East India Company. In other words, he was embedded within a vast system of resource extraction and exploitation. The very existence of this delicate watercolor points to a bigger picture of colonial trade. The pomegranate itself would have been an exotic item for European consumers at the time, and the watercolor acts as a record, a sample, and a lure. The artist's skill is undeniable, yet it was deployed in service of expanding markets. This image, like so many others, reminds us that the history of art is inseparable from that of global commerce.