Tafereelen uit het leven van Michiel Adriaansz. de Ruiter 1850

Jan Schuitemaker made this print, "Scenes from the Life of Michiel Adriaansz. de Ruiter," probably in the mid-19th century, as part of a series intended for young people. De Ruiter was a famous 17th-century Dutch admiral. This series of images attempts to capture his biography in a way that can be grasped by children. But even in a print like this one, supposedly intended for innocent eyes, we can still see the cultural and political investments of the Dutch. Notice, for instance, the depiction of the Black "friend," Jan Compaen. What does it mean to represent a Black man as subservient to a white hero? What kind of a lesson is being taught here? Understanding the meaning of this image requires understanding its Dutch context. For example, what was the role of the Dutch East India Company in Dutch culture? Art historians investigate these questions using sources from archives, libraries, and even private collections. Only through an understanding of the social and institutional context can we hope to grasp the shifting and contested meanings of a simple image.