Gezicht op de ingang van een militair ziekenhuis before 1897

Christiaan Johan Neeb made this print of a military hospital entrance, likely in the Dutch East Indies, sometime around the turn of the 20th century. The image invites us to consider the social and political context of colonial medicine. Military hospitals were not simply sites of healing, but also tools of empire. They served to maintain the health and fighting capacity of colonial troops and administrators, reinforcing colonial power. The architecture, local materials, and staff of this hospital are also all worth considering. To understand this image fully, we could investigate the history of Dutch colonial medicine, military campaigns in the region, and the lived experiences of patients and staff within these hospitals. By combining visual analysis with historical research, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between art, society, and power.