Kaart van de aanval op Elmina, 1828 1828

Editor: This etching, "Kaart van de aanval op Elmina, 1828" by H.W.A. van Rappard, depicts a military attack plan on what looks like aged paper. The drawing style, with the etching medium, lends the work a sense of documentary realism, despite the remove of time. What catches your eye when you examine it? Curator: Well, for me, the material speaks volumes. Look at the ink and paper - these were not neutral materials. The etching process itself, the labor involved in its production, tells a story of how information about colonial military operations was disseminated. How do you think the materiality of the map contributes to its meaning, especially considering the historical context of colonialism and the Dutch control over Elmina? Editor: It’s like the very creation of the map reinforces a kind of dominion over the space, because even making the map requires a command of materials and labor in and of itself. Curator: Exactly. The map isn’t just a representation of a place; it's a product of specific materials and processes reflecting particular power dynamics. Consider how the materials of map-making in 1828 might have differed from indigenous knowledge systems of spatial awareness. Where did van Rappard obtain the materials and skilled labor necessary for its execution? How was this map used and by whom, and how would these aspects influence its current presentation in a museum? Editor: I didn't consider the origin of the map itself being part of the colonial process, that production involves material choices that solidify meaning. Thank you! Curator: Absolutely. Considering art as a product deeply embedded in material and social conditions can profoundly change our understanding of its function and significance.