Portretstudies voor het (onvoltooide) schilderij van de Nederlandse rechtbank in Londen, juni 1942: de twee Chinese verdachten en leden van de rechtbank Possibly 1942 - 1946

This is Anton Abraham van Anrooy’s pencil study for an unrealized painting of a Dutch court in London in June 1942. It depicts the two Chinese defendants and members of the court. Consider the historical context: World War II, a Dutch court convened in London due to the Nazi occupation, and the presence of Chinese defendants. What narratives are obscured by the formal nature of a court portrait? The quickness of the medium speaks to the urgency of the moment. The artist juxtaposes the authority of the court with the marginalized position of the accused. Van Anrooy sketched the defendants with the same attention as the judges, lending them a similar weight and presence. Are they truly seen, or are they just figures in a legal process? This study is not just a preparatory sketch; it's a poignant reflection on justice, identity, and representation during wartime. The unfinished nature of the work invites contemplation on the stories left untold.