Tempel op het tempelcomplex Prambanan 1889 - 1890

Kassian Cephas made this albumen print of the Prambanan Temple Complex in Java. Cephas embraced the relatively new medium of photography, with its capacity to capture a high level of detail, and to record architecture with accuracy. This image gives a palpable sense of the immense labor required to construct these temples. Note the highly textured surfaces of the stones, the complex carvings, and the sheer scale of the structures. The Prambanan temples reflect a sophisticated understanding of materials and construction techniques, and the labor practices involved in quarrying, transporting, and assembling the stones. Each block would have been individually shaped and placed, requiring a high degree of precision and skill. Cephas’s photograph is more than just a record; it’s a document of human endeavor, reflecting the social and cultural values embedded in the built environment.