Tabaksveld op het Bindjey Estate van de Deli-Batavia Maatschappij op Sumatra (80 dagen na aanplant) c. 1900 - 1920

Here we have an anonymous photograph, of what looks like tobacco crops on the Bindjey Estate of the Deli-Batavia Maatschappij on Sumatra. It’s this silver gelatin print, with its warm, sepia tones, and sharp focus that really captures the essence of the scene. It's the kind of photograph that doesn't try to hide the process of its own making, the texture of the paper is visible. What I love is how the photographer chose to frame the tobacco field. It is as if it is an ongoing conversation. You have these dense rows of crops, and this tiny, almost ghost-like figure in the distance. The figure really gives a sense of scale. Looking at the image, I see a connection with the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, who documented industrial structures with such incredible detail. This image shares that dedication to capturing the subject matter. Art really is a conversation, isn't it? A beautiful, open-ended dialogue across time.