Rivierlandschap met een waterval op Java. 1900 - 1935

Neville Keasberry made this stereoscopic photograph of a river landscape with a waterfall on Java. The image invites us to consider the way the colonial gaze shaped the perception and representation of Indonesian landscapes. Stereoscopic photographs were popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a form of entertainment and education. The dual images, when viewed through a stereoscope, created a three-dimensional effect that captivated audiences. In the context of colonial Indonesia, these images played a role in constructing and disseminating a particular vision of the islands. The choice of subject, a picturesque waterfall, aligns with the romanticized view of the East as exotic and beautiful. How might the photographer's own social and cultural background have influenced his choices? Where was this photograph sold and who was it made for? By studying photographs like this, we can unpack the complex layers of meaning embedded within them.