Portrait of Michiel De Ruyter 1667

Ferdinand Bol painted this portrait of Michiel de Ruyter, the famous Dutch admiral, during a time when the Netherlands was a major maritime power. De Ruyter was a national hero, celebrated for his victories against the English and other European powers, and this portrait embodies the ideals of Dutch identity and power. Bol’s painting captures more than just the likeness of de Ruyter; it encapsulates the spirit of the Dutch Golden Age, an era of unprecedented economic growth, artistic achievement, and colonial expansion. We see this pride reflected in the ships on the sea behind him. It represents the country's dominance in global trade and naval strength, yet it also symbolized the exploitation and displacement of people in colonized lands. What I find compelling here is the image of a man, elevated to hero status, who is at once a symbol of national pride and a figure implicated in the complex ethics of colonial power.