Portret van Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt 1833 - 1854

Johannes Christiaan d' Arnaud Gerkens created this portrait of Caspar Georg Carl Reinwardt using lithography. Consider the power dynamics at play in portraiture during the 19th century; the sitter, Reinwardt, was a prominent botanist and director of agriculture, trade and colonies in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. His work was deeply entwined with Dutch colonialism. Reinwardt's gaze is direct, authoritative. His likeness, captured through the lithographic process, speaks to a desire to document and immortalize figures of importance. Yet, it also highlights how images can be instrumental in shaping historical narratives. What stories remain untold in this portrait? How does the act of memorializing certain individuals overshadow the experiences and contributions of others, particularly those impacted by colonial rule? This image invites us to reflect on who gets remembered, and how.