Strand te Ampenan met soldaten tijdens de Lombok-expeditie 1894 before 1898

Christiaan Johan Neeb captured this photograph of the Lombok Expedition in 1894. It shows Dutch soldiers on the beach at Ampenan, during a colonial campaign on the island of Lombok, now part of Indonesia. The image invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in colonial encounters. Who gets to be seen, and how? The photograph presents a seemingly straightforward depiction of a military operation, yet it also reveals the imposition of Dutch authority onto Indonesian land. What stories are silenced in this image? Whose perspectives are missing? Consider the emotional weight of this scene. The soldiers may feel a sense of duty, while the local population likely experienced fear and displacement. This photograph serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of colonialism, urging us to confront the uncomfortable truths of our shared history.