Gezicht op het eiland Ternate 1682

Johannes Kip made this print of the island of Ternate, likely in the late 17th or early 18th century, using engraving. It shows the spice island, then under Dutch control, from the sea. The image presents Ternate as a site of Dutch mercantile power. Kip’s print emphasizes Dutch ships, signaling the control the Dutch East India Company had over the island's valuable spice trade. The volcano, Gamalama, looms over the scene, a reminder of the raw natural forces at play in this colonial landscape. The detailed rendering of the island’s settlement and fortifications demonstrates the Dutch presence and their efforts to impose order and control. Historical archives, such as the Dutch East India Company's records, alongside visual analysis, can reveal the complex interplay between trade, colonial ambition, and environmental factors represented in this image. Kip’s print thus serves as a potent reminder of the social and institutional forces that shaped early modern global trade.