Acehnese Shield, anonymous, before 1877

Acehnese Shield, anonymous, before 1877

painting technique, h c.131.5cm × w c.34.5cm × d c.5.5cm More details

This shield resembles those of the Dayak from Borneo. However, it was seized in Aceh (Sumatra). This province fiercely resisted the expansion of the Dutch colonial regime. The label on the shield attests coolly to this dramatic struggle: ‘Shield of the Acehnese, who in Dec. 1876 killed 1st Lieutenant Regensburg in the banteng of Lembu. Acehnese also dead.’ The Aceh War (1873-1914) claimed more than 100,000 lives.