Gezicht op Potosi 1685 - 1714

Thomas Doesburgh created this print titled 'View of Potosi.' This print offers a window into the world of colonial resource extraction. Potosi, located in present-day Bolivia, was notorious for its silver mines. Indigenous people were forced into labor under brutal conditions, leading to countless deaths. Doesburgh's print shows us a mountain topped with a church; and a town surrounded by tropical foliage, but it also features a windmill, a clear symbol of Dutch presence and industry. The juxtaposition of the European windmill against the backdrop of Potosi speaks volumes about the complex relationship between colonizers and the colonized. The emotional weight of this image rests in the exploitation it represents, masked by a seemingly serene landscape. The view maintains the traditional representations of landscapes while hinting at the darker truths of colonial exploitation. It serves as a reminder of the human cost of global trade and the lasting impacts of colonialism on both the land and its people.