Werkzaamheden in een tabaksschuur op Sumatra: persen en verpakken (boven en midden), fermenteren (onder) before 1898

Carl J. Kleingrothe created this photographic print, "Werkzaamheden in een tabaksschuur op Sumatra," offering a glimpse into the operations within a Sumatran tobacco barn. These images, while seemingly documentary, speak volumes about the complexities of labor, colonialism, and the global economy at the turn of the century. The meticulous arrangement of workers, the stark division of labor, and the industrial scale of the operation reflect the systematic exploitation inherent in colonial enterprises. The photographs give us insight into how identities were constructed and reinforced through colonial power structures. The act of visually documenting this process is itself a form of control, reinforcing the power dynamics between colonizer and colonized. There’s a tension between the aesthetic qualities of the image and the underlying narrative of exploitation and cultural disruption. These images invite us to reflect on the human cost of global commerce.