Portret van jhr. Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen 1822 - 1826

This print portrays Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen, likely produced around the turn of the 19th century by Willem van Senus. As a naval officer during a period of intense maritime conflict, Kinsbergen's identity was inextricably linked to the politics of his time. Consider what it meant to be a naval hero in the Netherlands, a nation whose wealth and power were so deeply tied to the sea. His stern gaze and formal attire speak to the weight of responsibility he carried, and the expectations placed upon leaders during this era of revolution and colonial expansion. What does it mean to represent power, and who gets to be remembered as a hero? This print invites us to reflect on these questions.