Opzichterswoning van de Tanjong Pagar Dock Co. Ltd. in Singapore before 1905

This is a photograph by G.R. Lambert & Co. of the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company superintendent's house in Singapore. It's interesting to consider the photograph itself as a carefully constructed object, as it was a relatively new technology at the time. The tones are sepia, achieved through chemical processes. And of course, the image shows a house, a building being itself an assertion of design and labor. The house has an elegant colonial style, with elevated living quarters and open-air balconies, likely built by local workers under European supervision. The building material would have been sourced locally, and the house is set within manicured gardens. This is all to say, this image is a potent symbol of colonial power and its impact on local economies and workforces. So next time you see a photograph, remember that it, like any other object, is the result of materials, making, and social context.