Portret van Albertus Jacobus Duymaer van Twist 1853

This portrait of Albertus Jacobus Duymaer van Twist was created by Carel Christiaan Antony Last, using lithography. Duymaer van Twist, the sitter, was a Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, a position of enormous political and economic power in the 19th century. This image reflects the way in which the Dutch colonial administration sought to represent itself through formal portraiture. Van Twist is depicted as a respectable, authoritative figure, embodying the values of the Dutch establishment. Lithography was an innovative medium in this period, allowing for the relatively easy reproduction of images. Prints such as this would have circulated widely, shaping public perceptions of colonial officials like Van Twist. To understand this image fully, we need to examine the history of Dutch colonialism, the role of portraiture in legitimizing authority, and the technologies of image production. Through careful research into social and institutional histories, we can better understand the complex meanings embedded within this portrait.