Portret van Jan Corneliszoon Meppel 1858 - 1862

This is Frederik Hendrik Weissenbruch’s, Portret van Jan Corneliszoon Meppel, made sometime in the 19th century. It’s a lithograph, a printmaking technique that allows for detailed reproductions. Weissenbruch created this portrait in a period where Dutch art looked back to its Golden Age, reassessing national identity and historical narratives. Meppel, adorned in elaborate attire, stands as a figure of authority, possibly a merchant or naval officer, symbolizing Dutch maritime power and commercial prowess during the 17th century. However, consider the complex legacies of this era. The wealth and power represented here were often built on colonial exploitation and the transatlantic slave trade. The ship in the background hints at voyages of discovery, but also perhaps at the darker aspects of Dutch colonial history and the human cost of empire. Weissenbruch asks us to consider the weight of history and the stories we tell about ourselves as nations, and as individuals.