Gezicht op de residentie te Bantam 1843 - 1845

This print of the Residence at Bantam, was made by Paulus Lauters in the 19th century, using a technique called steel engraving. Unlike older copperplate engraving, steel allowed for larger editions and finer detail, meeting the 19th century's growing demand for images. Look closely, and you will see the fine lines and tonal gradations that are characteristic of the medium. The image captures a moment in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, with detailed figures and architecture. Steel engraving itself was tied to wider social issues of labor and politics. The process demanded skilled labor and the mechanization of image production, signifying shifts in 19th-century capitalism and colonial expansion. Paying attention to the materials and techniques used reveals the economic and social contexts embedded within this seemingly straightforward landscape, challenging any simple distinction between the fine arts and the world at large.