De dwerg Petrus Dorlandus als walvisvaarder, 1720 1716 - 1720

Joost van Sassen created this etching, "De dwerg Petrus Dorlandus als walvisvaarder," around 1720. The portrait depicts Petrus Dorlandus, a dwarf, dressed as a whaling ship owner, a position of power and wealth. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch Golden Age, the Netherlands was a major player in global trade and whaling was a lucrative industry. However, this success came at a high cost, with enslaved people in Dutch colonies, and the exploitation of natural resources across the globe. Dorlandus is framed by a decorative border, and a poem below the image. The poem makes reference to his physical appearance and his profession. The way Dorlandus is portrayed can feel troubling to contemporary viewers. The work offers an occasion to reflect on how social status and occupation were negotiated alongside physical difference in the 18th century.