Artwork

The Trading Post of the Dutch East India Company in Hooghly, Bengal

The Trading Post of the Dutch East India Company in Hooghly, Bengal is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Hendrik van Schuylenburgh. It dates from 1665 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

A cremation is also represented, introducing a direct reference to local Hindu funerary practice observed by the Dutch at their Hooghly outpost.

Hendrik van Schuylenburgh's 1665 oil painting depicts the Dutch East India Company's trading post at Hooghly in Bengal, presenting the site as a bustling colonial-commercial hub. The scene combines built and natural elements: a house anchors the settlement amid trees, while an elephant and a horse populate the foreground, signaling the exotic fauna and transport animals associated with the Bengal landscape. A cremation is also represented, introducing a direct reference to local Hindu funerary practice observed by the Dutch at their Hooghly outpost.

Together these motifs weave a documentary record of European mercantile presence with the surrounding Indian environment, conveying both the everyday operations of the trading post and the cultural encounter between Dutch employees and the people, animals, and customs of Bengal.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1665, this work is an oil painting applied to a canvas support. The composition presents a panoramic view characterized by a wide horizontal format, measuring 203 cm in height and 316 cm in width. Visually, the scene incorporates diverse elements including architecture, vegetation, and animals such as horses and elephants, alongside depictions of local customs like cremation.

The handling of the medium allows for a detailed rendering of the Dutch East India Company's trading post within the Bengali landscape.

History & Provenance

The painting was created by Hendrik van Schuylenburgh in 1665, executed in oil paint on canvas. It depicts the Dutch East India Company's trading post at Hooghly in Bengal, including elements such as a tree, house, elephant, cremation scene, and horse. The work is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is catalogued under the Nederlandsch Museum voor Geschiedenis en Kunst. No further details regarding its commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.

Overview

Hendrik van Schuylenburgh's oil painting, The Trading Post of the Dutch East India Company in Hooghly, Bengal, completed in 1665, offers a detailed view of European commercial presence in India. This work captures the vibrant activity of a Dutch trading settlement, showcasing the intersection of local life and international commerce. It is currently housed in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.