Gezicht langs een weg door het oerwoud, Sumatra (Weg aus dem Urwald) c. 1885 - 1900

Carl Kleingrothe made this photograph in Sumatra, now part of Indonesia, at the turn of the century. Looking at it today, we might consider how this image of the Sumatran jungle was shaped by the history of Dutch colonialism. The land has been cleared to make way for a road. In the background, there are local workers constructing what appears to be a shelter. The scene speaks of an impulse to master the natural environment, an impulse often associated with colonial expansion. These photographic images were circulated in Europe to promote economic and political interests, often shaping public perceptions about colonized lands and their people. This historical context is important when considering what kind of knowledge the image produces and whose interests it ultimately served. Scholars of visual culture continue to research and debate the politics of imagery in colonial contexts, drawing on sources such as government archives, travel writing, and other media of the period. By looking critically at this photograph, we can examine the complex intersection of art, power, and representation in the colonial era.