Hof in Peking - Romeyn de Hooghe

A detailed seventeenth-century etching by Romeyn de Hooghe depicting the imperial court in Peking, complete with a numbered key identifying various figures.

This detailed etching by the Dutch artist Romeyn de Hooghe depicts a scene at the imperial court in Peking. Produced during the late seventeenth century, the work reflects the European fascination with East Asian culture, a period when travel accounts and ethnographic studies were gaining popularity among the Dutch public. The composition is structured around a central courtyard, flanked by traditional architectural forms and pagodas, with a hill rising in the background.

De Hooghe employs a systematic approach to the scene, incorporating a numbered key at the top of the print. This index identifies various figures and elements, such as Chinese officials, Tartar cavalry, and representatives from other Asian regions, including Siam, Java, and Makassar. The inclusion of these labels suggests the print functioned as an educational or documentary tool, intended to inform the viewer about the diverse populations and customs encountered by traders and explorers of the era.

The artist uses precise line work to delineate the architectural features and the varied attire of the crowd. While the perspective is somewhat stylised, the print provides a glimpse into how seventeenth-century Europe visualised the distant East. The scene is busy, filled with figures engaged in various activities, from mounted soldiers to groups of civilians, all set within an orderly, symmetrical space. This work is part of a broader tradition of illustrated travelogues that sought to categorise the world through visual representation. The print captures the intersection of artistic craft and the burgeoning interest in global geography that defined the Dutch Golden Age.