Andréa A. Kroon was promoted on the thesis 'Masonic networks, material culture & international trade. The participation of Dutch freemasons in the cultural & commercial exchange with Southeast Asia, 1735-1853'.
This is the formal title of the book. This describes in some 900 pages, the creation of Masonic lodges along the trade route to India, Ceylon, Dutch East Indies, Japan and China. These lodges had many VOC personnel and later traders as members. They have created a special material culture of lodge buildings on Java to Japanese lacquer with Masonic symbols.
On the box I painted Masonic symbols, flowers and an owl with a jabot, in reference to the professorship.
The box contains a ceramic Dodo sculpture (Andréa is a huge Dodo fan) and a porcelain bowl, on which I painted Masonic symbols and "Chinese clouds".
More information about the work of art historian Andréa A. Kroon you can find here:
http://www.kroonwagtberghansen.nl/
http://www.kwh-nieuws.blogspot.nl/
Size of the box 37 x 25 x 9 cm oil on wood, 2015
The bowl is made from porcelain, with underglaze cobalt painting
The Dodo is made of ceramics with Majolica painting