Gezicht op woningen in een bergachtig gebied before 1897

Christiaan Johan Neeb made this small photograph of dwellings in a mountainous region in the late 19th or early 20th century. Neeb, a Dutch artist, was born in a period of increasing colonial expansion, which saw the Dutch empire exert its power across Southeast Asia. This photograph may resonate with the historical context of Dutch colonialism, particularly in regions with mountainous terrains, by offering a glimpse into the lives and settlements of communities living within these landscapes. The image evokes a sense of distance. As viewers, we are positioned as outsiders looking in. Neeb's photograph presents an opportunity to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in such representations, and on the ways in which landscapes can be both sites of natural beauty and stages for historical and political narratives.