Olieverfschilderij door Andries Beeckman voorstellende het Kasteel Batavia gezien van Kali Besar west met op de voorgrond de Passar Ikan (vismarkt) (ca 1662), collectie Tropenmuseum
There are two versions known of View of Batavia, slightly differing from each other. The one, now in the possession of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and signed A. Beeckman fecit, used to hang above the mantelpiece in the Great hall of the Oost-Indisch Huis, Amsterdam. Here the directors of the V.O.C. held their meetings. We know that the Amsterdam Chamber of the V.O.C. made arrangements to purchase this painting from Beeckman in 1662. A second unsigned version of the same image, is in the collection of the Tropenmuseum. Both paintings can be dated around 1660/1661. Let us now return to the Tropenmuseum painted version of View of Batavia, or rather to a part of the town centre as it looked at the outset of the long term of office of Governor-General Joan Maetsuycker. Imagining ourselves to be at a vantage-point on the west side (at left) of the Kali Besar (big river), we look out over the fish market and the majestic castle behind it, the VOC's Asian stronghold and the centre from which the Governor and his servants controlled their extensive area of commerce. So as to reinforce the panoramic effect the painter pictures the river from an oblique angle and uses the row of Chinese houses bordering the market at the left to set off the scene. Together with the lofty coconut trees, they stretch the work's diagonal composition and three-dimensionality. We can perceive, between the double line of trees in the distance and across a narrow canal flowing into the river, the smithy at left with its high smoking chimney. Now proceed to the right side along the horizontal line of the castle in the splendid late afternoon light, and the first thing you see is a vista of the background sea, and the second is a big white building, a warehouse. In front of this is the building of the Council of Justice with its indispensable penitentiary, gallows and whipping post. To the centre, on the same side (the east side) of the river, one sees the shipwrights busily working in the sheds. We see European men in black costume with white jabots (you will search in vain for European women since their slaves go to the market for them), Eurasian in typically colourful garments, Chinese (they made up the majority of the Batavian population), one Japanese (the man in the flowing blue dress and the black hat on the right), inhabitants of various parts of the Archipelago, the Southeast Asian mainland and Arabia. A heterogeneous group of people of various ranks and standing, most of which appear to be occupied with matters other than the purchase of fish. Fruits and vegetables are for sale here as well. In the far left-hand portion of the painting, two Ambonese men perform their traditional battle dance, the cakalele, while others enjoy themselves playing a form of soccer (sepak raga). Behind the players are several spectators, for instance a member of a chaingang (with white headdress and loincloth), led by an overseer. Meanwhile, fish is being purchased here and there. The Chinese behind his stall tries to sell shark's flesh to a soldier, while a young boy brings in a basket of fish that has just arrived on a little boat. On the foreground we also see a married couple, walking in the shade of a parasol, held up by their servant. The man wears a fine European costume, while his wife, a mestiza, is clad in baju and sarong. Over her left shoulder we see a toka, worn by all mestiza ladies. The man sitting on the little overturned boat at bottom right, inscribed 'De Markt van Batavia' (i.e. Batavia Market); has withdrawn from the hustle and bustle, preferring to be a quiet observer, is maybe the painter himself. Now let us see what is happening across the river. We can only guess what is taking place behind those thick castle walls. But Beeckman clearly shows that the lives of the Governor and his staff were not confined to stuffy council chambers, offices and houses. We see, past the castle bridge, a long line of horsemen and the carriage of the Governor-General riding slowly in the direction of the town hall (which is outside the picture). A mounted trumpeter leads the cavalcade. A camel which in reality would not have been allowed to roam about outside the menagerie in this way provides an exotic element. So do two elephants, standing beside the road. This painting showed the directors of the VOC, most of whom had never visited Asia, a view of their headquarters oversee.