Portrait of Cornelis van der Lijn, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies 1750 - 1800

This is an undated portrait of Cornelis van der Lijn, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, made by an anonymous artist. Van der Lijn stands before us, draped in the trappings of power, a symbol of the Dutch colonial project in the East Indies. During his tenure, which began in 1646, the Dutch East India Company consolidated its control over vast territories and trade routes, extracting immense wealth at the expense of the local populations. The portrait, rendered with a certain detached formality, invites us to reflect on the power dynamics at play. What does it mean to represent a figure so deeply entwined with colonialism? What narratives are silenced or marginalized in such a portrayal? The velvet glove that he wears seems to stand in stark contrast to the iron fist he most likely ruled with. Consider the human cost of this era, the countless lives disrupted and cultures forever changed. The emotional weight of history sits heavily in this portrait, urging us to confront uncomfortable truths about power, privilege, and the legacy of colonialism.