Weg langs een dorp c. 1900s - 1910s

This black and white photograph, titled 'Road Through a Village', presents an anonymous scene, likely from the colonial period. Note the umbrellas held by some figures, a symbol of status and protection against the sun, which is reminiscent of parasols in ancient Asian and European art, often denoting nobility or divine figures. Think of the elaborate canopies shading rulers in Byzantine mosaics or the protective umbrellas over Buddha figures. Here, though, they take on a more quotidian aspect, yet subtly hint at social hierarchies and the negotiation of colonial influence. Consider the loaded symbolism embedded in everyday objects, reflecting power, adaptation, and cultural exchange. These symbols are never static; they reappear, transformed, carrying echoes of the past into the present.