The Capitulation of Breda

Title: La rendición de Breda (The Surrender of Breda)
Artist: Diego Velázquez
Date: 1634-1635

On display from the Museo del Prado is Diego Velazquez's The Surrender of Breda (1634-1635). Velazquez, under commission for King Philip IV, commemorates the capture of Breda during the Eighty Years' War. Depicted is the Spanish general Spinola takes the keys to the city from the defeated Dutch general. Velazquez paints the Dutch general as bowing to Spinola, which highlights the victory of Spain. However many art historians believe that the Dutch do not look as though they have been painfully defeated. The Dutch are depicted as looking more well rested and healthy than the Spanish soldiers. The Dutch general may even wear a condescending expression as he may know one day the Dutch will take back the city of Breda, which was recaptured in 1637. Velazquez paid certain attention to the Spanish lances as he later went back and made the lances much taller than the Dutch's lances, which is why the Surrender of Breda is also known as The Lances. On the left, the Spanish army is depicted with longer and straighter lances which is to highlight the greater power and strength of the Spanish army. Even though the lances are a symbol for Spain's military prowess, the cordiality between Spinola and the Dutch general is meant to paint Spain in a good light. The Surrender of Breda shows Spain as capable of respect and forgiveness of those of whom they have defeated. Once again, Spain's military power has allowed Spain to capture new lands and rule over new people. However, sometimes Spain's power was not always enough. As the Dutch took back the city of Breda in 1637, the Spanish effort during the Eighty Years' War was wasted. In order to gain more power throughout Europe, occasionally Spain made wrong decisions that led to their own defeat. 

Source :

http://span2322finalproject.weebly.com/featured-art.html

Transport of the KNIL Soldiers

Title: Het transport der kolonialen (Transport of the Colonial Soldiers)
Artist: Isaac Israëls
Date: 1883-1884

Oil on canvas. Height: 1,600 mm (62.99 in). Width: 3,000 mm (118.11 in). Now in Kröller-Müller Museum. In the second half of the 19th century, more than 70,000 soldiers of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) left for the Dutch East Indies. This detachment of KNIL soldiers walks across the Koningsbrug in Rotterdam, ready to embark on their journey. The woman holding the child’s hand and wishing her husband farewell does lend some drama to the scene, but Isaac Israels is more interested in providing an objective representation than eliciting an emotional response. Isaac is the son of Jozef Israëls, one of the most important artists of The Hague School. This art movement is characterized by the depiction of realistic Dutch landscapes in grey, dark tints. Isaac is only 18 when he paints Transport of colonial soldiers. In this monumental, dark and detailed work, he still appears influenced by the work of his father. But he soon develops a style of his own. His technique becomes more fluent and fleeting and he starts concentrating on the rapid rendering of his subjects. He is therefore regarded a Dutch representative of impressionism.

Source :
http://krollermuller.nl/en/isaac-israels-transport-of-colonial-soldiers

Artillery of Dutch East-Indies Army (KNIL)

Title: Artillerie van het Oost-Indisch leger (Artillery of East-Indies Army)
Artist: Justus Pieter de Veer
Date: 1896

The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger; KNIL) was the military force maintained by the Netherlands in its colony of the Netherlands East Indies (also known as the Dutch East Indies), in areas that are now part of Indonesia. The KNIL's air arm was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force. Elements of the Royal Netherlands Navy were also stationed in the Netherlands East Indies.

Source :
http://www.antiqbook.com/search.php?action=search&l=nl&country=1&description=P.+van+der+Veer&rlist=pr&searchform=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.antiqbook.com%2Findex.php%3Fl%3Dnl%26o%3D&sort_type=asc&sort_order=author_name+asc%2C+title_first_word&page_num=2