Portret van Christian Martin Anhaltin 1659

This engraving, made by Reinier van Persijn, presents a portrait of Christian Martin Anhaltin. It's a fascinating window into the world of 17th-century Dutch maritime exploration and the individuals who propelled it. Consider the image as a nexus of commerce, science, and identity. The tools of navigation that frame Anhaltin—the celestial globe, the cannon—speak to a society deeply invested in expanding its reach across the seas. The lower vignette showing scholars gathered at a table suggests the intellectual labor underpinning these voyages. But, who was permitted into these spaces of knowledge? The portrait’s celebration of Anhaltin, a man of privilege, underscores the class structures inherent in this era of discovery. And, what about the perspectives of those in the “Oost en West,” whose lands were being charted and exploited? This image makes me think about whose stories are told, and whose are left out.