Overlijden van Cornelis Speelman, gouverneur-generaal van Nederlands-Indië, Batavia, 11 januari 1684 1684

This silver medal, titled "Overlijden van Cornelis Speelman", commemorates the death of Cornelis Speelman in Batavia on January 11, 1684. It was made by an anonymous artist. Speelman, who served as the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, occupies a complex place in history. The medal’s imagery, dominated by the family crest, speaks to the power and privilege afforded to individuals like Speelman. However, it also raises questions about the human cost of Dutch colonial expansion in Indonesia. Speelman’s leadership was marked by territorial expansion and the consolidation of Dutch control, achieved through violent subjugation and exploitation of local populations. How do we reconcile the commemoration of an individual with the brutal realities of colonialism? This medal invites us to reflect on the legacy of colonialism and the ways in which power is memorialized, often obscuring the voices and experiences of those most affected.