Gezicht op de bovenzijde van de Borobudur 1875 - 1890

This photograph of Borobudur, in Java, was captured by C. Dietrich. The print is albumen silver, a process developed in 1850, which involves coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate. The resulting image has a distinctive sheen and tonal range. Photography like this played a key role in how Europeans understood the world, framing other cultures for consumption back home. Note the detail, capturing the texture and immense scale of the Borobudur temple complex. This was achieved through careful labor in the darkroom. Yet it’s important to remember the labor that built the temple itself. Borobudur was constructed in the 9th century, a massive undertaking requiring immense resources and skill. Dietrich’s photograph captures this, but also stands as a reminder of the colonial gaze, and the relationship between image-making, power, and representation. It urges us to think about who is behind the camera, and the stories that photographs tell – and don’t tell.