Sacrifical place with eight ancestor sculptures, some holding a child. Mount Aki0aki, Kuningan district, West Java province, 14th-16th century. Possibly 1863 - 1864

Editor: So, here we have Isidore Kinsbergen's photograph, likely from 1863-64, capturing a "Sacrificial Place with Eight Ancestor Sculptures" from West Java. It's a black and white photograph of stone figures. I'm struck by how the rough texture of the stone contrasts with what I imagine was the sacredness of the place. What jumps out at you when you see this? Curator: Ah, Kinsbergen! I imagine him trekking with his heavy camera. Beyond the documentarian aspect, I feel the weight of generations. These aren't just sculptures; they’re a visual echo of ancestors, frozen in time. Look how some cradle children; a tenderness amidst the stone. Does that contrast of harsh medium and gentle subject speak to you at all? Editor: Yes, absolutely. It's a fascinating contradiction. And I am curious about the sacrificial place. Were offerings actually made here? Curator: The name suggests a site of ritual. Whether offerings of objects, food, or, as the name might suggest, even life itself were given, it hints at a profound connection between the earthly and the spiritual realms. Perhaps these ancestor figures acted as intermediaries. What does "sacrifice" mean to you in a broader sense, looking at this image? Editor: I guess, a giving up of something valued to gain something greater. In this case, perhaps appealing to ancestors for blessings or protection. The image certainly has a powerful aura about it. Curator: Exactly. Kinsbergen, perhaps inadvertently, captured not just stone, but a lingering sense of belief. Editor: It makes you wonder about the stories these stones could tell. Curator: Precisely! Each weathered surface, a whispered secret from the past. It also demonstrates to me how, photography, by its nature, makes time tangible, like grasping a handful of earth.