Uniform van de officieren van de huzaren van de Oost-Indische troepen - Louis Salomon Leman

A detailed 1845 lithograph by Louis Salomon Leman depicting a Dutch East Indies hussar officer in full uniform.

This lithograph by Louis Salomon Leman, dated 1845, depicts an officer of the hussars serving in the Dutch East Indies. Leman, a Dutch artist active during the mid-nineteenth century, produced various works documenting military uniforms and colonial subjects. The print captures the specific attire of the hussar cavalry, characterised by the bright blue dolman, white breeches, and the tall shako adorned with a plume. The officer is mounted on a horse, with a smaller figure of a second soldier visible in the background, providing a sense of scale and context to the military formation.

The composition is typical of nineteenth-century military costume studies, where the focus remains on the accuracy of the uniform details rather than atmospheric depth. The use of hand-colouring over the lithographic base adds a specific clarity to the regimental colours, distinguishing the blue of the jacket against the muted tones of the horse and the ground. The inscription at the base, 'Oost Indische Hussaren', identifies the specific unit, while the artist's signature is present below the image.

Such prints were often produced for collectors or as part of larger series documenting the colonial military presence of the Netherlands. The work provides a clear view of the aesthetic standards for military dress during this period, reflecting the formalised nature of colonial administration and the pride associated with cavalry units. The clean lines and precise rendering of the equipment, from the saddle cloth to the bridle, demonstrate the technical skill required for professional military illustration in the 1840s. This piece is a valuable record for those interested in the history of Dutch colonial military dress and the development of lithographic techniques in the mid-nineteenth century.