Room Screen (Schutsel)

Batavia, c. 18th century
Teakwood, gilded and carved

This monumental screen once stood in the Raad van Indië (Council of the Indies) chamber at Batavia Castle, where senior VOC officials debated governance, trade, and justice. Painted in deep red and gilded gold, it divided the grand assembly hall, both physically and symbolically, into spaces of authority and hierarchy.

 

At its crest, six city emblems- Delft, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Batavia, Middelburg, Hoorn, and Enkhuizen- represent the VOC’s founding chambers in 1602. The central figure, an armored warrior long thought to depict Pallas Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, reveals masculine features that may instead identify Mars, the god of war- embodying the VOC’s dual ideals of intellect and domination.

 

Acquired in 1868 from a craftsman named Baas Adji, this gilded Baroque-style screen, richly adorned with cherubs, lions, dolphins, and dragons, reflects both the artistry of Batavia’s workshops and the systems of colonial power that once defined its world.

KBG: 3742 / MSJ 77:48 / MSJ 2008:S SKT MSJ 2008