De mensch 1850 - 1881

Dirk Noothoven van Goor created "De mensch," or "The People," to be included in a series of prints for children. Published as the colonial era was in full swing, the print presents racial categories of the world’s population in neat, contrasting boxes: whites, yellows, copper-coloreds, and blacks. The artist reinforces prevalent stereotypes through physiognomy and dress. Each group is shown with supposed cultural and economic characteristics and arranged in a hierarchy that implicitly validates European dominance. The romanticism with which the European characters are rendered sharply contrasts with the other groups, whose visual representation is unflattering. As the legacy of colonialism continues to shape contemporary global inequalities, this print serves as a stark reminder of how deeply ingrained such ideologies were in the past. Its impact on the self-perception and social status of various groups are still felt today.