Olifanten werkend in de houtwinning van Rangoon c. 1885 - 1886

This photograph by P. Klier depicts elephants working in the timber industry of Rangoon. Captured using early photographic processes, the image presents a fascinating view of labor and industrial practices. The photograph's tones, textures, and composition are all influenced by the materials and techniques of early photography. The contrast between the rough, heavy timber and the elephants highlights the scale of the industry and the physical labor involved. Here, the skilled traditions of animal handling intersect with the demands of resource extraction. The elephants, though not human, are workers; this speaks volumes about labor, politics, and consumption in colonial contexts. Understanding this image requires us to consider both the photographic process that created it, and the social conditions it reflects, blurring the boundaries between fine art, documentary, and the realities of industrial labor.