The postmaster’s house on Robben Island, seen from the sea c. 1777

Robert Jacob Gordon created this image of the postmaster’s house on Robben Island, using pen, ink and watercolour. The composition is strikingly horizontal. A vast sky dominates the upper portion, pressing down on the scene below. The island itself is rendered as a thin strip, divided into zones: from the rhythmic, dark waves, our eyes move inland to the lighter shallows, and then further on to the built structures, signified by the flag, a symbol of Dutch presence and authority. Note how Gordon uses a limited palette. The subtle gradations of blues and greens in the water contrast with the stark white buildings. Consider the relationship between the observer and the observed. The viewpoint, from the sea, positions us as detached onlookers, emphasizing the island's isolation. The painting can be seen as an exercise in control and documentation, framing Robben Island within the visual language of colonial power. The island’s form and function invites ongoing discourse.