R.F. VAN RADERS AD VIV. DEL. 1825 AND W.H. HOOGKAMER SCULP.

 

Two hand-coloured engravings depicting the harbour of Curaçao

 

One looking towards the sea and the other towards the land, with subscriptions reading: “De Haven van Curaçao, naar buiten te zien" (the other engraving: naar binnen te zien)

Opgedragen aan Zijne Excellentie den Schout bij Nacht P.R. Cantzlaar, Ridder der Orde van de Nederlandsche Leeuw, Gouverneur van Curaçao, Bonaire en Aruba, enz., enz., enz. Door Zijner Excellenties zeer gehoorzamen Dienaar R.F. van Raders

 

(The port of Curaçao seen towards the land (and towards the sea), dedicated to his Excellency the Rear Admiral P.R.Cantzlaar, governor of Curaçao etc, etc, by his obedient servant R.F.Raders)

 

Hand-coloured engraving, 41 x 55 cm each

 

Note:

Reinier Frederik baron van Raders (1794 – 1868) was a sea captain, sent to The Dutch West Indies in 1824 after news had arrived in Holland that gold had been found on the island of Aruba. In 1824 and 1825 van Raders paid three visits to Aruba and added new information concerning the gold mining to the manuscript map he had with him.

In 1825 his updated map was printed. Baron van Raders is better known as a sea captain, as harbour master of Curaçao and as a politician than as an artist, even though he clearly was a very able draftsman as can been seen from these two engravings. From 1845 till 1852 he was Governor of Surinam.

He was also a member of the “Maatschappij ter bevordering van de afschaffing van de slavernij” (Society for the abolishment of slavery) and during his governorship, he laboured for better treatment of slaves.

After his dismissal as governor, he became a member of the state commission which had to advise the Dutch government on the emancipation of the slaves. Willem Hendrik Hoogkamer (1790 – 1864) was a well-known painter of miniatures, city- and landscapes and a competent engraver. P.R. Cantzlaar since 1820 was Governor of the Dutch West Indies Islands and from 1828 till 1831, when all the Dutch West Indies possessions were joined together, Governor-General of Surinam and the Dutch Caraïben Islands.