Spotprent over de bijdragen van Indië aan de schatkist, 1863 1863

"Spotprent over de bijdragen van Indië aan de schatkist, 1863," created by Johan Michaël Schmidt Crans in 1863, is a satirical political cartoon that depicts the Dutch colonial administration's reliance on the Dutch East Indies' wealth. The image shows four men kneeling and worshipping a golden calf, a symbol of the colony's riches, which is engraved with "12,000,000". This engraving is likely referencing the amount of money the Dutch East Indies contributed to the Dutch treasury. The caption "Wie zal de Mozes zijn en het Gouden Kalf verbreken?" (Who will be the Moses and break the Golden Calf?) suggests a critique of the Dutch colonial policies and encourages a movement for change. This is a powerful political cartoon that sheds light on the complexities of colonial exploitation in the 19th century.