De zelfopoffering van predikant Hambroeck op Formosa, 1661 1853 - 1855

Curator: Good day, I'm absolutely struck by the drama unfolding here. Editor: Indeed. This engraving, made sometime between 1853 and 1855, purports to depict "The Self-Sacrifice of Reverend Hambroeck on Formosa, 1661." It resides here in the Rijksmuseum. The artist unfortunately remains anonymous. Curator: I sense the high drama of a historical tableau – so melodramatic. I notice those distraught figures collapsing, the stiff formality of the central man, and then there are those imposing soldiers looming in the doorway... what to make of it all, eh? Editor: We have to contextualize this within the Dutch colonial history in Formosa, now Taiwan. Hambroeck, a real figure, was a missionary. The print romanticizes a very brutal conflict, painting the Dutch as righteous, upstanding figures, even in defeat. Note how he's positioned, sacrificing himself, an idealized Christian hero. Curator: A martyr, of sorts, carefully stage-managed for maximum emotional impact, wouldn’t you agree? It's a masterful piece of propaganda if you look at it. Those diagonals of grief radiating outward... It's pure baroque theatrics even though it came much later! I almost want to giggle. Editor: The "giggle" speaks to a certain discomfort. Remember the artist made it centuries after the actual event. It speaks to 19th-century narratives justifying colonialism – claiming a moral high ground amidst violence and exploitation. The artist isn't depicting reality; they're reinforcing a carefully constructed myth. It's a call for white saviorhood wrapped in religious zeal. It begs the question of whose sacrifice are we really mourning here? Curator: Ah, it suddenly becomes so heavy! From playful theatricality to the deep darkness of exploitation, doesn't it? Even this old engraving can still speak to very timely concerns and arguments. Thank you. Editor: Absolutely, reflecting on who tells these stories and for what purpose feels more essential than ever.