Portret van Raden Tommongong Karta Natta Nagara 1843 - 1845

Paulus Lauters made this print of Raden Tommongong Karta Natta Nagara, a Javanese regent, using lithography. The image invites us to consider the visual codes of power and status in the Dutch East Indies. Raden Tommongong's traditional Javanese dress, including the distinctive headdress, marks him as a local leader, but the print itself and the way he is represented reflects European artistic conventions. This blending of visual languages speaks to the complex cultural dynamics of colonialism. Prints like this one were often commissioned by colonial administrators or wealthy individuals, reflecting and reinforcing the existing social hierarchy. The Rijksmuseum, where this print is housed, has its own institutional history tied to Dutch colonialism, something worth bearing in mind when considering the work in front of you. By studying historical archives, personal letters, and other documentary sources, we can better understand the power dynamics that shaped this image and its place in history. Art is always contingent on the social and institutional context in which it was made.