Portret van een zittende jonge Indonesische vrouw met hoofdband 1857 - 1880

This photographic print of a seated Indonesian woman, captured by Woodbury & Page, presents an intriguing intersection of culture and commerce. The photograph itself, a relatively new medium at the time, was a product of industrial chemistry and optical engineering. Notice how the subject is posed, adorned in traditional clothing and jewelry, which were themselves products of skilled craftsmanship. Textiles, beadwork, and metalworking, all testify to rich cultural traditions embedded in labor and material knowledge. The very act of creating this portrait underscores the complexities of colonial encounters, where indigenous artistry was both documented and commodified for a Western audience. The material reality of the photograph—its paper, its chemical composition—speaks to a global exchange of resources and ideas, and to the labor required to produce images for mass consumption. This artwork transcends the boundaries of fine art and craft, inviting us to consider the human labor and social context embedded in its creation.