Two Sinhalese soldiers and a labourer 1662

Esaias Boursse created this pen and ink drawing of Sinhalese people during his time working for the Dutch East India Company in the 17th century. The artist has rendered the figures with spare lines, yet he indicates musculature, clothing, and facial features. We can imagine him rapidly capturing these observations in his sketchbook. The marks are economical, descriptive, and betray the cultural and social dynamics of labor. Boursse would have been implicated in the colonial project of the Dutch East India Company, and it is relevant to consider how this influenced his depictions of the local population. The men are delineated by a series of lines, in an attempt to represent their labor and status. The weight of colonialism lies in the production and consumption of these images, and the way they reflect power dynamics and commodification. By focusing on materials, making, and context, we gain a deeper understanding of this drawing, challenging the traditional separation between art and craft.