Groepsportret van KNIL-militairen met machinegeweren voor een stal 1895 - 1920

This vintage photograph by Lik Sun Bros captures a group portrait of KNIL soldiers with machine guns posed in front of a stable. The tonal range is minimal, a study in sepia and grey, which makes the image feel very grounded, and real. There’s a tension created between the setting and the subjects. The backdrop has a natural, almost rural charm, while the soldiers and their weapons are a stark reminder of military presence. This contrast makes me consider the layers of history and human experience contained within the photograph. I keep coming back to the way their postures convey both strength and a certain unease, as if they're caught between roles. It reminds me of some of Gerhard Richter’s photo paintings. Both artists, in their own way, engage with the act of seeing and remembering. They suggest that what we see is never just a surface, but a complex interplay of layers, meanings, and emotions. It’s a reminder that art, like history, is always open to interpretation and re-evaluation.