The Arrest of Diepo Negoro by Lieutenant-General Baron De Kock

Nicolaas Pieneman painted the arrest of Prince Diponegoro by Lieutenant-General De Kock in 1830, documenting the end of the Java War (1825-1830), the most costly colonial conflict in Dutch history. Diponegoro, a Javanese prince, had led a major uprising against Dutch colonial rule. His capture through deception during peace negotiations was controversial even at the time. The painting served as propaganda for Dutch colonial authority.

Pieneman arranges the dramatic confrontation scene with theatrical precision, contrasting the Dutch military officers with the Javanese prince and his followers. The careful rendering of both European and Javanese costumes and physiognomy creates a detailed ethnographic document.