Pieter Cnoll, Cornelia van Nijenrode, their Daughters and Two Enslaved Servants

Cnoll was a senior merchant of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in Batavia. In that position, in addition to his official function, he could conduct private business and become wealthy in a short period of time. Cornelia was the daughter of a VOC merchant and a Japanese courtesan. This portrait illustrates the opulence of their lifestyle and surroundings. The clothing – the latest Dutch fashion – is adorned with the most precious jewels. In the background are two of their fifty enslaved servants.