Sierlijst met gestileerde plantmotieven

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet created this ornamental border with stylized plant motifs. Cachet lived through the colonial era, and he spent much of his early life in the Dutch East Indies. We can consider this ornamental border within the context of the Dutch colonial project. The stylized floral motifs seem to both echo and domesticate the exotic flora of the colonies. The rigid symmetry speaks to the colonial need to impose order. These kinds of designs were often used in architectural and design projects intended to ‘civilize’ colonized spaces. The border can evoke a sense of cultural imposition and a suppression of indigenous artistic expression. Although this piece is small, we can use it as a window into the ways that aesthetics, power, and identity intersect. We may reflect on the emotional and cultural complexities embedded within seemingly simple decorative elements.