Generaal-majoor, 1820-1825 1825 - 1827

Jean-Baptiste Madou created this print titled 'Generaal-majoor' between 1820 and 1825. The image depicts a Dutch General Major in meticulous detail, set against a soft, almost dreamlike landscape of muted greens and creams. Madou's careful attention to the General's uniform, with its crisp lines and defined color blocks, is strategically juxtaposed with the fluid, less defined background, creating a compelling tension between precision and ambiguity. The rigid posture of the subject, combined with the softer, blurred backdrop, invites us to consider the interplay between individual identity and its surrounding context. The artist deliberately contrasts the General’s sharp, structured form with the diffuse natural setting, suggesting a visual metaphor for the tension between control and chaos, order and nature. The composition encourages a critical reflection on the structures of power and representation.