Landhuis te Batavia 1779 - 1785

This ink drawing, "Landhuis te Batavia," was made by Jan Brandes in the late 18th century. Here, the symmetry and manicured nature of the landscape speak volumes. The paired urns that stand as gatekeepers draw our attention. We might recall similar urns from ancient Roman gardens, symbols of both decoration and commemoration. Placed in a similar position in later Renaissance gardens, they represented order and the control of nature. Yet, here in Batavia, they carry a different weight. They’ve journeyed far, and now bear witness to the colonial project, standing as silent sentinels in a foreign landscape. Like echoes from the subconscious, symbols persist, yet their meanings transform, revealing the complex layers of our shared cultural memory.