Grafbord van François de Haze (gestorven 1676), directeur van Bengalen (1673-76) after 1767

This Grafbord, or memorial panel, was made in 1676 in honor of François de Haze, who died that year while serving as director of Bengal. It's oil paint on wood, with a sturdy black frame cut to a diamond shape. What is most interesting about this object is how it testifies to the global reach of Dutch trade. The painted heraldry signifies de Haze’s status, but the very fact that he died in Bengal speaks to the incredible movement of people and goods that characterized the 17th century. The VOC, or Dutch East India Company, had a network of trading posts, and men like de Haze were key to its operations. The act of commemorating him in this way, with a painted panel, elevates him. Yet it also points to the labor and resources extracted from afar, that enabled Dutch society to flourish. We can see how the history of craft and design are never separate from social and economic realities.