Opdracht met wapenschild van Hendrik Zwaerdekroon 1727

This print, by Jan Caspar Philips, was made in the Dutch Republic sometime in the first half of the 1700s, using etching. It commemorates Hendrik Zwaerdekroon, an official in the Dutch East India Company. This image, like many Dutch prints of the period, blends the visual languages of politics, commerce, and classical mythology. Allegorical figures of Justice, Prudence, and War adorn a sculpted monument to Zwaerdekroon. At the top, his personal coat-of-arms proudly displays a sword. Below, two cherubs play with what seems to be a caduceus. The print makes Zwaerdekroon’s position in the East India Company seem natural and divinely sanctioned. To understand this print better, research the history of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia. Consider how it impacted the artist and the patron. Prints like these are not just images, they're historical documents that reflect the social conditions that shaped artistic production.