Album met foto's van spoorwegen in Nederlands-Indië en prentbriefkaarten c. 1880 - 1920

Editor: Here we have an albumen print titled 'Album met foto's van spoorwegen in Nederlands-Indië en prentbriefkaarten', created somewhere between 1880 and 1920 by diverse vervaardigers. The cherry blossom frame has a gorgeous Orientalist feel. I’m really drawn to the quiet stillness of the deer standing in the road. What do you make of this? Curator: That stillness is precisely it, isn’t it? The juxtaposition of that quiet moment, a deer caught between the forest and a made-made path, framed by a decidedly idealized version of nature. It’s a kind of sandwich, a reflection of humanity attempting to understand the wider world. Don't you think that even the landscape seems to breathe with a life of its own? Editor: It definitely feels staged. It's the kind of idyllic, orientalist fantasy that must have appealed to western audiences back then. Is that deer real or posed, do you think? Curator: Well, that's the charm, isn’t it? Its authenticity is almost secondary to the idealized *feeling* it evokes. Maybe posed, maybe not... maybe both at the same time. It's a snapshot of manufactured nostalgia. Editor: Manufactured nostalgia. I like that. So it’s less about accurately portraying reality, and more about capturing a certain mood, or an idea of the East? Curator: Exactly! The cherry blossom frame, the "untamed" forest, that single little deer...all elements carefully chosen and presented. But is it true representation or truth redefined through the eye of the camera and hand of the artisan? It is all wrapped in an exotic bow! I can almost smell the cherry blossoms and earth! Editor: It is striking to see those two things brought together – real world documentation presented as an artwork. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure! Another reminder that photography isn't just about capturing what *is*, but also what we *wish* to see.