House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran) 1835 - 1845

This painting was made by Ernest Alfred Hardouin, showing a house on the Rijswijk, Batavia, now known as Jalan Veteran. Painted with oils on canvas, the smooth surface of the work belies the textures, forms, and history it holds within it. The artist has engaged with the traditions of fine art in his rendering, alongside that of history and place, but what story does it really tell? The house itself is a crisp white structure with clean lines, but in front of it, people wearing traditional clothing are milling about, seemingly at odds with the rigid, modern facade of the building. And behind the guard are lush tropical trees, framing the house as if to remind you of the location in Batavia. The amount of work and its presence speaks to wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption. The image is about the way of life and the context of colonization. Through the use of these scenes, the painting challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft and their meanings.