Twee soldaten nemen een Nieuw-Guineese man mee before 1936

F. Ockerse created this image of two soldiers escorting a New Guinean man, using an unknown medium. The scene speaks volumes about colonial power dynamics. The image presents us with a stark visual code: two uniformed soldiers, representing a colonial power, flank a local man in minimal clothing. This is likely from the first half of the twentieth century, when the Netherlands still maintained control over parts of New Guinea. The soldiers with their weapons embody the military and institutional might of colonial rule, while the New Guinean man is clearly subjugated. The drawing invites critical reflection on the politics of imagery. Historical archives and colonial administrative records could shed further light on the specific context of this image. In this way, the artwork becomes a touchstone for understanding the broader socio-political conditions of its time, urging us to consider the power dynamics inherent in the representation of colonial subjects.