Portret van Johannes Maetsuyker 1709 - 1726

This is Dirk Jongman’s portrait of Johannes Maetsuyker, made as an engraving sometime between 1685 and 1726. Maetsuyker was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, during the mid-17th century. This image offers insights into the construction of power and authority in the Dutch colonial era. The curtain backdrop, the subject's formal attire, and the heraldic crest at the bottom all function as symbols of status and success. The inscription identifies Maetsuyker as the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, a position of immense power and influence in the Dutch colonial system. What is striking about this portrait, however, is the lack of any overt reference to the Indies. It suggests that Maetsuyker's identity was rooted in his status as a Dutchman, with the colony just being a background to this. To fully understand this work, one must delve into the archives of the Dutch East India Company and explore the visual strategies through which colonial power was asserted and maintained. This portrait then becomes more than just an image; it is a document reflecting the social, political, and economic structures of its time.