Artwork

Rear View of Buitenzorg Palace before the Earthquake of 10 October 1834

Rear View of Buitenzorg Palace before the Earthquake of 10 October 1834 is an oil painting by Willem Troost. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Overview

Willem Troost’s 1834 oil landscape, titled Rear View of Buitenzorg Palace before the Earthquake of 10 October 1834, records the appearance of the Dutch colonial residence in Java just prior to its destruction. The canvas captures the palace’s rear façade, set within a tranquil garden scene, and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The work portrays the former Buitenzorg Palace—now Bogor Palace—seen from behind, its pale walls punctuated by numerous windows and a central dome. A broad promenade flanked by trees, some turning orange, leads toward a pond where ducks glide and two figures linger, suggesting a serene, orderly domestic setting before the calamity.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil, Troost employs a soft, diffused sky and warm illumination that bathes the building, enhancing its architectural clarity. The brushwork balances detailed rendering of the palace’s structure with looser treatment of foliage and water, creating a harmonious blend of built and natural elements typical of early‑19th‑century Dutch landscape painting.

History & Provenance

Created in the year of the October 10, 1834 earthquake that damaged the palace, the painting serves as a visual record of the pre‑disaster architecture. It entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings through acquisition (specific accession details pending) and remains a reference point for scholars studying colonial Indonesian architecture and its representation in European art.

Artist & collection

Artist

Willem Troost

Willem Troost (1812–1893) was an artist, born in Arnhem.

Museum

Rijksmuseum

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