Huis van de Sultan te Bima 1821 - 1823

This drawing of the Sultan's residence in Bima was made by Jannes Theodorus Bik in 1822, using pen and ink to render a landscape of power and place. Note the precision of Bik’s technique. He meticulously layered fine lines and shading to create the illusion of depth and form. While appearing straightforward, such drawings were essential tools of colonial administration. The labor that went into producing such images had direct implications for colonial politics and trade. Bik's drawing is less about art for art's sake, and more about a means to survey, document, and ultimately, control. This piece underscores the fact that every artwork, no matter how seemingly neutral, is embedded in a web of social and economic relations. It prompts us to consider how the act of making itself can be an assertion of power, deeply entwined with labor, politics, and consumption.