A Factory on Jawa
H.Th. Hesselaar
1851
Medium
oil on panel
Dimensions
7.7; 54; 43
About this artwork
Bruikleen van mevrouw S.A. Boon-Langelaan, Maarssen
Art Historical Context
**A Factory on Jawa (1851) by H.Th. Hesselaar captures a slice of Dutch colonial life in Indonesia's Java during the mid-19th century. Painted in oil on panel—a medium favored for its durability and ability to render intricate details on a compact scale—this work measures 43 cm high by 54 cm wide. Housed at the Rijksmuseum on loan from Mrs. S.A. Boon-Langelaan, it offers visitors a window into the industrial expansion of the Dutch East Indies, where factories processed lucrative exports like sugar, coffee, and indigo to fuel Europe's economy. The scene likely depicts one of Java's burgeoning ...