Het telefoonkantoor in Surabaya 1876 - 1884

This is a photograph by Herman Salzwedel, titled "The telephone office in Surabaya". This seemingly innocuous image gives us insight into the rapid modernization of the Dutch East Indies under colonial rule. The architecture of the telephone office, while functional, also subtly asserts European design sensibilities. The orderly landscaping around the building, a stark contrast to the wilder, more ‘native’ landscapes, visually encodes power dynamics. The photograph was likely commissioned by the colonial administration to document infrastructural developments. It’s a visual form of propaganda, suggesting progress and control. The muted tones and the careful composition convey an air of stability, obscuring the underlying tensions of colonial governance. To understand the social implications fully, researchers might consult colonial archives, engineering reports, and even personal accounts from the period. The value of such an image lies not just in what it shows, but in what it silently communicates about the era's power structures.