Memorial to General Andreas Victor Michiels in Pedang 1863 - 1869

This photograph shows the Memorial to General Andreas Victor Michiels in Pedang, taken by Woodbury & Page. Photographs like these were made through a complex interplay of chemistry and optics. Light-sensitive emulsions, coated on glass plates, captured images when exposed through a camera lens. This process, though scientific, demanded skilled darkroom practice. The resulting images, like this one, were often mounted on card stock, adding to their preciousness as keepsakes. The very act of photographing the monument raises questions about its purpose. Memorials like this were usually erected by colonial powers to assert dominance and commemorate their heroes, often obscuring the perspectives and experiences of the colonized. Consider the labor involved in the memorial's construction, perhaps by local artisans under colonial direction. What stories do their hands tell? This photograph serves as a reminder that every image, every artwork, is imbued with the social and political context of its making. By understanding these elements, we gain a richer and more nuanced appreciation.