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The Citadel of Spice: Fort Hollandais on the Banda Islands, 1750

About the Item

Title: Fort Hollandais de l'Ile de Banda (Dutch Fort of Banda Island) Date published: 1750 Publisher: Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703-1772) The original antique print depicts an 18th-century engraving of the Dutch Fort on Banda Island. This print would serve not only as a cartographic document but also as a visual assertion of Dutch power in the region, emphasizing their control over the highly lucrative spice trade of the era. The artwork captures the strategic and robust architecture of Fort Hollandais, a testament to the Dutch colonial military prowess. It would feature the geometric precision of the fort's layout, with its formidable bastions and protective walls standing prominently. The fort's purpose, to oversee and protect the nutmeg trade, which was a cornerstone of the colonial economy, is subtly implied through the detailed rendering of its defensive structures. The fort, known as Fort Hollandais, is one of the several forts constructed by the Dutch in the Banda Islands during their colonial period. Today, the heritage of Dutch presence in Banda is still visible, with several forts still standing. Fort Nassau, which was the first Dutch fort built in the Banda Islands in 1609, is currently in a state of disrepair, with some bastions and substantial walls still visible. This fort served as the principal administrative and military base for the Dutch during their control of the nutmeg trade in the region. Fort Nassau is overshadowed by the more impressive Fort Belgica, which is pentagon-shaped and located on a hill, dominating the view. Additionally, other forts from that era like Fort Belgica, Fort Concordia, and Fort Revenge still exist. These forts, along with Fort Nassau, played a critical role in guarding the nutmeg trading in the town of Naira. Other remnants of the Dutch colonial era, such as the first church with a registry in Asia, the old church lined by the tombs of the Dutch Governor Generals and VOC Directors, the first VOC Headquarters, and the governor’s palace, still stand. The nutmeg plantations, some old plantation smokehouses, and the mansions of the Perkeniers (nutmeg plantation owners) are also part of the surviving heritage, with some of them functioning as museums.. For the current state of Fort Hollandais specifically, there is no detailed information immediately available from the sources consulted. However, given the historical significance of these structures and the efforts to preserve them, it is possible that it may still exist in some form.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 10.04 in (25.5 cm)Width: 13.78 in (35 cm)Depth: 0 in (0.02 mm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Paper,Engraved
  • Period:
    1750-1759
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1750
  • Condition:
    Very Good. Later hand-coloring. A vertical flattened folding line in the middle.
  • Seller Location:
    Langweer, NL
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: BG-13454-31stDibs: LU3054337747672

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