Reliëf op het voetstuk van een pendopo, aan de oostzijde van Candi Panataran Possibly 1867

Isidore Kinsbergen, a Dutch-Jewish photographer, captured this relief on the east side of Candi Panataran in Java during the colonial era. His photographs were part of a broader colonial project to document and categorize the cultural heritage of the Dutch East Indies. This image captures a narrative relief, likely depicting scenes from local folklore or religious stories. The figures, frozen in stone, offer a glimpse into the social and cultural values of the time, but the colonial gaze also raises questions about representation and power. Kinsbergen’s position as a colonial photographer influences how we see and understand Javanese culture. Consider the act of documentation itself – who gets to tell the story, and whose perspective is prioritized? As you contemplate this photograph, think about the complex layers of history, culture, and power interwoven within it.