Grafbord van Theodora Hendrica Piekenbroek (1746-70), echtgenote van Boudewijn Versewel Faure after 1770

This memorial plaque, commemorating Theodora Hendrica Piekenbroek, was made sometime after her death in 1770, likely by an anonymous craftsman. It's painted on wood, a common enough material, but here it serves as a formal, lasting tribute. Consider how the paint has been applied. The flat black background is a stark contrast to the gold lettering and heraldic crest. The crest is carefully rendered, its symbolic language speaking to family history and status. The lettering itself would have required skill, each letter painstakingly formed. The overall effect is one of controlled elegance, even restraint. Given that Theodora died in Bengal, this object also hints at a far-flung life, a life lived in service of the Dutch East India Company. And while the plaque immortalizes an individual, it also points to the larger forces of trade, colonialism, and global networks of power that defined the era. The plaque asks us to consider the degree to which personal identity is always shaped by larger social and economic forces.