Sluitvignet met jachthoorns en lansen 1893

Gerrit Willem Dijsselhof made this 'Sluitvignet met jachthoorns en lansen', or closing vignette with hunting horns and lances, sometime in the late 19th, early 20th century. Dijsselhof was a Dutch artist who moved between symbolism and art nouveau, often incorporating Javanese motifs. His cultural background and fascination with other cultures come through here in this small closing vignette. The image contains stylized intertwined hunting horns with lances, against a muted green background. The use of hunting horns could represent the historical importance of the hunt to the Dutch, with the elite participating in symbolic expressions of power. Dijsselhof integrates images from the colonial past into a contemporary symbol. It’s an elegant and thought-provoking meditation on the colonial gaze.