Graf van den Radja van Doula - Adrianus Johannes Bik

A precise nineteenth-century lithograph by Adrianus Johannes Bik, documenting the funerary architecture of the Raja of Doula in the Dutch East Indies.

This lithograph by Adrianus Johannes Bik depicts the tomb of the Raja of Doula, a structure encountered during the Dutch East Indies expedition of the 1820s. Bik, a Dutch artist and official who spent significant time in the Indonesian archipelago, produced a series of visual records documenting the architecture, customs, and geography of the region. This work captures the specific vernacular style of the funerary monument, characterised by its elevated thatched roof, curved gables, and stone base.

The drawing style is precise and observational, typical of nineteenth-century colonial documentation. Bik employs fine lines to render the texture of the thatch and the stonework, providing a clear, objective view of the site. The inclusion of a small flag atop the roof and the surrounding vegetation suggests an attempt to place the structure within its specific environmental context. The composition is centred and isolated, focusing the viewer entirely on the architectural form rather than the surrounding terrain.

Such prints were often produced to accompany travelogues or official reports, serving as a visual archive for European audiences curious about the East Indies. The work reflects the period's interest in ethnographic and topographical recording. By stripping away extraneous detail, Bik provides a clean, legible study of the tomb. The print retains the original caption, which identifies the subject clearly, maintaining its function as a historical document. The aged paper tone and slight foxing visible in the original print are preserved in this reproduction, offering a sense of the work's provenance as a nineteenth-century archival object. This piece is suitable for those interested in colonial history, architectural studies, or the history of travel illustration.