Koffiebomen met vrucht, Sumatra (reifer Kaffee) c. 1885 - 1900

Carl Kleingrothe made this photograph of coffee trees in Sumatra at an unknown date. The image presents a neatly organized plantation, reflecting the colonial agricultural practices of the time. This photograph encapsulates the complex relationship between colonial powers and their territories. Sumatra, then part of the Dutch East Indies, was exploited for its resources, including coffee. The orderly arrangement of the trees signifies control and extraction. Consider how this contrasts with indigenous modes of agriculture. The image creates meaning through its visual encoding of power dynamics, cultural references to colonial enterprise, and historical associations with economic exploitation. To understand it better, we might research Dutch colonial policies, the history of coffee production in Sumatra, and the social impact on local communities. It is in these contexts that the photograph takes on its fullest meaning.