Gevecht tussen de Nederlanders en de Portugezen bij Kollam 1676

This anonymous etching, "Gevlucht tussen de Nederlanders en de Portugezen bij Kollam" (Battle between the Dutch and Portuguese at Kollam), depicts a violent scene of conflict between Dutch and Portuguese forces in 1676. The composition focuses on the melee of fighting, with the figures of soldiers engaged in hand-to-hand combat at the forefront. The background features a distant cityscape and ships, suggesting the wider context of this colonial battle in India. This scene is a powerful example of the visual culture of European colonialism in the 17th century, revealing the brutality and political complexities of these encounters.