Ex libris van het stoomschip Prinses Juliana 1910

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet created this bookplate for the steamship Prinses Juliana, using black ink. Cachet, living through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, navigated a world of shifting empires and technological advancement. Ships like the Prinses Juliana symbolized a connection between the Netherlands and its colonial holdings, particularly in the Dutch East Indies. The bookplate, adorned with motifs evoking maritime power, invites reflection on the relationship between colonizer and colonized. The crown atop the bookplate suggests a certain power dynamic, while the patterns and flourishes hint at the exoticism associated with the East. In his work, Cachet often incorporated symbolism that drew from both Dutch and Javanese sources, reflecting his own complex relationship with colonial culture. Think about the stories of those who crossed oceans on ships like the Prinses Juliana, both colonizers and colonized. How might their experiences and identities be layered into this small, potent design?