Indonesian Related Cartoons
 
     
     
 

Cartoons and drawings from and about the Dutch East Indies



The cartoons and drawings in this collection came largely from Dutch language publications like books, magazines and weekly or daily newspapers. They cover the period from 1876 – 1950 (and 1982, where books of compilations are concerned.). Some were published in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), whereas the majority in the Netherlands.

On examining the cartoons, one may wonder how some could have been published in the first place. Many were anti-colonial in aspect and, in addition, the personal attacks on senior politicians and public servants seemed particularly brutal. If the intended message of these cartoons had been put into words and published in the same publications, the author and probably his editor would have seriously fallen foul of the law and, in some circumstances, might have found themselves in jail.

It was that unexplained absence of retribution for the cartoonists which attracted me most to these works of art. The drawings, many of which have similar sentiments, were a natural extension of the cartoons to me.

If ever ‘a picture tells a thousand words’ were true, these cartoonists were certainly doing just that. The portrayal of the decadent ways of the planter communities in Sumatra saw the German,Eberhard Von Wechmar literally chased off the Island for his effortsin 1927.

What is arguably the most significant contribution to the art-form must be that of Johan CoenraadBraakensiek (1858-1940). A tireless artist, now famous for the full page cartoons in the weekly ‘deAmsterdammer’ where his subjects were often the colonial attitude of the Dutch authorities over their governance of the Dutch East-Indies. This collectionincludes cartoons by Brakensiek from between 1887 and 1922.

Cartoons from WW2 are also represented and not easy to digest. A lighter tone was adopted for the more‘touristic’ material, where fun is made of the colonisers without being overtly harsh.


 

 
 
 

 

 Cartoonists Details 

( more to follow..)

 

 

Galleries

 Only a small selection is presented in each gallery

 

 

Johan Coenraad Braakensiek. Dutch, 1858-1940

 

Willem Jan Pieter van der Does. Dutch, 1889-1966

 

Josef Ferdinand (Eppo) Doeve. Dutch, 1907-1981

 

Oscar Fabres, French, ?- 1960.

H.J.D de Fremery. Australian. ?

 

Johannes (Johan) Gabrielse. Dutch, 1881-1945

 

Louis Raemakers, Dutch, 1869-1956

 

M.G. Hartley No details

 

C. Jackson. British Cartoonist during early years on 20th century. (2 rare publications)

He is recorded as having been a POW at Changi Jail in Singapore.

 

Kick Hofer, ps? for Jan Pieter Lodewijk Kickhefer. Dutch, 1887? -?

 

Hans Georg Kresse. Dutch, 1921-?

 

Menno Simon Jacobus van Meeteren Brouwer. Dutch, 1882-1974

 

Jan Willem (Willy) Sluiter. Dutch, 1873-1949

 

Joseph Eduard Adolf (Jo) Spier. Dutch, 1900-1978

 

Ton, presumed pseudonym

Mile, ps. for A.Van der Valk, Dutch, 1884-?.Illustrated one small book ‘Jappenspiegel’ in 1945.

 

Eberhard Freiherr von Wechmar. German, no details. (1 Rare, coloured plate book)

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Assorted

 

 

 

de Notenkraker

 

 

 

Books

 

 

 

Eppo Doeve

 

 

Braakensiek

 

 

 

L. Raemakaers

 

 

De Moker

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 
 
     
 
   
 
   
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