Allegorie op de Oost- en West-Indische Maatschappij 1705 - 1707

Romeyn de Hooghe created this allegory of the East and West India Company in an etching, and the busy composition immediately suggests the extensive operations of the companies. A multitude of figures, classical columns, and ships create a scene of bustling activity, with figures that seem to tumble over one another. In the foreground, allegorical figures representing the East and West Indies sit amidst symbols of trade and prosperity, while behind them, a crowd of people engage in various activities related to commerce and governance. De Hooghe uses a semiotic system of signs to construct meaning. The classical architecture lends an air of authority and legitimacy, framing the overseas trading companies as foundational to Dutch power. The ships in the background are coded to imply Dutch maritime strength. The composition guides the viewer through a structured narrative, from the allegorical figures in the front to the bustling scenes behind, but it invites us to consider that the harmonious and idealized vision of Dutch commerce masks the complexities and contradictions inherent in colonial enterprises.