Amphitheater voor het onderwijs in natuur- en scheikunde c. 1902

Tan Tjie Lan created this photograph titled "Amphitheater voor het onderwijs in natuur- en scheikunde", showing a classroom, though the date is unknown. The image offers a glimpse into a specific time and place, likely within the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, during the late colonial period. The photograph captures an educational setting, with students, presumably of Indonesian descent, in what appears to be a science or chemistry class. What interests me most is to wonder what it meant for these students to be in this classroom? Were they being assimilated into a new culture, or prepared to lead their nation into the future? Consider the dynamic of power and knowledge exchange happening here. Through Lan's lens, the image becomes a poignant reminder of the complexities inherent in colonial histories. It prompts us to consider the individuals within the frame, their aspirations, and the broader socio-political context shaping their lives.