Portrait of Jan Pietersz Coen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies 1750 - 1800

This is an anonymous portrait of Jan Pietersz Coen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, painted at an unknown date. Coen was a controversial figure in Dutch history. Remembered for his role in establishing the Dutch East India Company’s power in Indonesia, he was also responsible for acts of extreme violence and oppression. What we see here, then, is an image of power. Coen’s opulent clothing and haughty gaze speak to his status and authority within the colonial system. But this portrait is also a window into the complex dynamics of colonialism, and the fraught relationship between colonizer and colonized. This painting isn't just a historical artifact; it serves as a reminder of how deeply the legacies of colonialism are woven into our present. It asks us to confront difficult histories, and to consider how these histories continue to shape our world.