Who painted House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran)?

House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran) was painted by Ernest Alfred Hardouin in 1840.

Where can I see House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran)?

House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran) is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran)?

House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran) is associated with Patna School of Painting.

Can I buy a print of House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran)?

Museum-quality prints of House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran)

Ernest Alfred Hardouin , 1840

House on the Rijswijk, Batavia (Jalan Veteran) is an unspecified painting by the Patna School of Painting artist Ernest Alfred Hardouin. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work portrays a large white residence with a red‑tiled roof situated on what was then Rijswijk Road in Batavia, present‑day Jakarta.

About this work

Overview

The work portrays a large white residence with a red‑tiled roof situated on what was then Rijswijk Road in Batavia, present‑day Jakarta. Constructed in 1796 by the Dutch official Pieter Tency, the house dominates the composition, while a variety of figures animate the foreground, offering a glimpse of everyday activity in the early nineteenth‑century colony.

Subject & Meaning

In the foreground a Javanese woman shaded by a parasol, a young house servant, an Arab gentleman accompanied by a attendant, a boy leading a horse, a watch commander and four soldiers are depicted. Their presence underscores the multicultural social fabric of Batavia, illustrating how colonial authority, local inhabitants, and foreign traders coexisted within a shared urban space.

Technique & Style

The painting employs a realistic, almost documentary approach, with careful attention to clothing, architecture, and the play of light on the white façade. The palette balances the stark whiteness of the house against the earthy tones of the figures, while the composition arranges the characters in a shallow depth, emphasizing the immediacy of the scene.

History & Provenance

Although the artist remains unidentified, the work is dated to the early 1800s and is notable for its rare focus on ordinary life rather than grand colonial narratives. The house depicted is historically documented as the property of Pieter Tency, linking the image to a specific architectural landmark on Batavia’s Jalan Veteran.

Context

During the period of Dutch East India Company rule, visual representations typically highlighted European officials or exotic landscapes. This painting diverges from that norm by foregrounding indigenous and mixed‑heritage figures, thereby providing valuable visual evidence of the daily interactions that defined the colonial capital’s social landscape.