Portret van een jonge, staande Indonesische vrouw 1857 - 1880

This photograph, titled "Portret van een jonge, staande Indonesische vrouw," was created by Woodbury & Page. The print's sepia tones and sharp focus give the subject a remarkable presence. The composition is structured around the figure of a young Indonesian woman, whose stance and attire are central to the work's meaning. The diagonal lines of her wrapped clothing, combined with the vertical fall of the draped fabric create a dynamic tension, subtly destabilizing the portrait's formal stillness. The interplay of light and shadow across her form enhances the textures of the cloth. The photograph invites us to consider its cultural context and question the gaze of the colonial-era portrait. It uses the codes of representation to simultaneously capture and perhaps exoticize its subject. This tension makes the photograph a complex cultural artifact, challenging viewers to reflect on its historical and artistic implications.