Deksel van een lakwerkdoos met het portret van Herman Willem Daendels 1762 - 1818

This is the lid of a lacquer box with a portrait of Herman Willem Daendels, made by an anonymous artist. Though undated, the military garb of Daendels suggests the late 18th or early 19th century, a time of revolution and upheaval in Europe. Daendels was a controversial figure, known for his role in the Batavian Republic, a Dutch state heavily influenced by revolutionary France. Later, he served as Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, where his policies were both praised for their modernizing effects and criticized for their heavy-handedness. This image makes meaning through its depiction of power, it's a cultural reference to leadership, and has historical associations with Dutch colonialism. How do we interpret the image of a man whose legacy is so deeply intertwined with both progressive reforms and oppressive colonial practices? Historians can consult archives, letters, and official documents to paint a more complete picture of Daendels and the world he inhabited. Only then can we begin to understand the social and institutional contexts that shaped both his actions and the artistic representations of him.