Gezicht op het Binnenhof vanaf de Vijverberg in Den Haag 1858

This is Johann Gabriel Friedrich Poppel’s monochromatic print of The Binnenhof, made some time during his lifetime in the 19th century. It offers a placid view of one of the oldest parliament buildings in the world. During Poppel’s life, Europe was in the throes of industrialization and nationalism. In the Netherlands, this period was marked by the rise of a Dutch national identity, one deeply entangled with its colonial past. The serene image Poppel creates seems to consciously exclude the reality of the colonies. There are no ships, no bustling trade, just the stately buildings of government. What stories are omitted in this carefully curated image? Whose labor and lives are missing from this picturesque scene? It’s a poignant reminder that even the quietest images can be powerful statements, shaping how we see ourselves and our history.