Plate with an allegory on the Dutch East India Company c. 1740 - 1750

This 18th-century porcelain plate by Dutch artist Jan Punt, depicts an allegory of the Dutch East India Company. The scene is set in a tropical landscape and features a group of figures including a woman with a lion, a symbol of strength and power, and a man with a sword. The plate, featuring a red and gold color scheme, was likely intended as a decorative piece and reflects the Dutch fascination with their colonial ventures during the 17th and 18th centuries. This work, housed at the Rijksmuseum, provides a glimpse into the commercial and cultural exchange that characterized this era.