Sluis op de plantage Palmeniribo te Suriname 1708

Dirk Valkenburg made this drawing of a lock on the Palmeniribo plantation in Suriname. It's rendered with pen in grey ink. Valkenburg, a Dutch artist, spent time in Suriname in the early 18th century. Plantations like Palmeniribo were central to the colonial economy, relying on enslaved labor to produce commodities like sugar and coffee for European markets. This drawing offers a glimpse into the infrastructure of these plantations, depicting a sluice used to manage water levels. The stark, technical style emphasizes the engineering aspect, yet it also hints at the broader socio-economic context of exploitation and forced labor. To understand this drawing fully, we might look at historical records of plantation management, colonial trade, and the lives of enslaved people in Suriname. Only then can we fully appreciate the complex interplay of technology, power, and human experience embedded within this seemingly simple image.