Who painted De koets van Mangkoe Nagoro IV?

De koets van Mangkoe Nagoro IV was painted by Pieter Alardus Haaxman in 1870.

Where can I see De koets van Mangkoe Nagoro IV?

De koets van Mangkoe Nagoro IV is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is De koets van Mangkoe Nagoro IV?

De koets van Mangkoe Nagoro IV is associated with Biedermeier.

Artwork

De koets van Mangkoe Nagoro IV

Pieter Alardus Haaxman , 1870

De koets van Mangkoe Nagoro IV is an unspecified painting by the Biedermeier artist Pieter Alardus Haaxman. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. This oil painting, created by Haaxman, depicts a black carriage with gilded detailing, drawn by four white horses.

About this work

Overview

This oil painting, created by Haaxman, depicts a black carriage with gilded detailing, drawn by four white horses. The work functions as a commercial illustration for the The Hague carriage manufacturer Hermans en Co., highlighting a vehicle that was commissioned for the Javanese ruler Mangkoe Nagoro IV.

Subject & Meaning

The carriage’s door bears the Dutch coat of arms, within which the Roman numeral IV signals the patron’s title. Though presented as a gift to the Javanese sultan, the image emphasizes the intertwined authority of colonial officials and local rulers around the turn of the twentieth century, rather than a personal portrait of the monarch.

Technique & Style

Rendered with a polished, almost photographic clarity, the composition foregrounds the gleaming black hull and gold trim of the coach, while the four white horses are painted with precise musculature. Haaxman’s approach mirrors contemporary advertising aesthetics, focusing on the product’s elegance and craftsmanship.

History & Provenance

Commissioned as promotional material for Hermans en Co., the painting was never intended to document an actual royal procession. The sultan never rode in the depicted vehicle; the work served to advertise the firm’s capacity to serve elite colonial clients.

Context

At the dawn of the twentieth century, European colonial powers often used visual media to assert dominance and commercial reach in their overseas territories. This painting exemplifies how trade, imperial authority, and visual culture were combined to project Dutch influence in the Dutch East Indies.