Spotprent bij de gedenkdag van Jan Pietersz. Coen, 1887 1887

This is Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans' print from 1887, commemorating Jan Pietersz. Coen. Born in 1587, Coen was an officer of the Dutch East India Company, notorious for his violent imposition of Dutch rule in Indonesia. This print marks the 300th anniversary of Coen's birth, amid a time of Dutch colonial expansion. The text accompanying the image reads: "I was Coen, are you still?" It invites viewers to reflect on the legacy of colonialism. The cartoonish style belies a troubling history of violence and exploitation. This image offers insight into how the Dutch grappled with their colonial past. What does it mean to celebrate a figure like Coen, whose actions had devastating consequences for the Indonesian people? It compels us to confront the complex and often contradictory ways in which nations remember and celebrate their past.