Gezicht op de Semeru after 1838

Willem Mathol de Jong made this drawing of Semeru in the 19th century. It depicts the volcano Semeru in Java, Indonesia, a region then under Dutch colonial rule. The image presents a landscape marked by both natural beauty and potential danger. We can see this tension in the volcano’s imposing presence, as well as in the delicate rendering of the smoke, which signals an active, and potentially threatening, geological force. The Dutch presence in Java was largely motivated by economic interests, particularly the spice trade. Images like these served not only as records of geographical exploration, but as assertions of colonial power, documenting and claiming dominion over distant lands. To fully understand this drawing, further research into the history of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, and de Jong's own biography, would be invaluable. This would deepen our understanding of the complex relationship between art, power, and representation in the colonial context.