Tot slaaf gemaakte man draagt Reinharts bagage 1791 - 1798

Reinier Vinkeles's "Tot slaaf gemaakte man draagt Reinharts bagage" is a 1791-1798 etching that depicts the harsh reality of slavery during the Dutch Golden Age. The artwork, now located in the Rijksmuseum, portrays a Black man carrying the luggage of a European man, likely a wealthy merchant returning from a voyage. This scene, set against a backdrop of ships and a bustling harbor, highlights the power imbalance between colonizer and colonized, echoing the injustices of the transatlantic slave trade. The etching, with its detailed depiction of the figures and environment, serves as a historical record of the period and its social hierarchies.