David van Mollem (left) is seated in the garden of his country house Zijdebalen on the River Vecht. He was portrayed by Nicolaas Verkolje, who also designed his garden. Van Mollem was a silk merchant and a major shareholder of the Utrechtsche Compagnie. This Company bought the Suriname Utrecht coffee plantation in 1736 and thus became the ‘owner’ of 37 men, 20 women and 2 children, who were forced to work on the plantation unpaid.