Pekalongan - Huis van den Regent Possibly 1869

This photograph, by Woodbury & Page, captures the 'House of the Regent' in Pekalongan. Dominating the scene are the figures arranged with a clear visual hierarchy. Those seated on chairs, elevated, are the European colonial figures. The others, seated on the floor, are their Javanese counterparts, the local elite. Note the parasols behind the seated figures. These parasols, or 'payung', are symbols of status. A motif that is repeated in other cultures and times. Think, for example, of the canopies held over emperors in ancient Rome, or the Popes in papal processions. Such symbols are not merely decorative; they are powerful forces that engage viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The act of elevating certain figures above others evokes a sense of power and authority, tapping into our collective memory of hierarchical structures. This photograph then becomes a stage upon which cultural narratives are played out, and the past is continually re-enacted and reinterpreted.