Pagina 96 en 97 van fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) c. 1924 - 1925

This photograph by J.W. Meyster, part of a photo book from the early 20th century, captures a scene from a rubber plantation on the East Coast of Sumatra. The composition immediately draws our eyes to the lines formed by the rows of cultivation, directing our gaze towards the workers amidst a vast landscape. The sepia tone gives the image a sense of historical distance, highlighting the structured environment of colonial agricultural practices. The arrangement of workers in neat rows, coupled with the receding landscape, creates a powerful visual statement about labor and the systematic organization of space. One could interpret the photograph through the semiotic lens of power relations, where the clear demarcation of the land and the positioning of figures within it signify control and exploitation. Notice how the receding lines converge, suggesting an almost architectural imposition on the natural environment. This formal choice reflects the broader colonial project, where landscapes were reshaped and redefined according to industrial and economic imperatives. The photograph then becomes not just a document but a complex visual text encoding themes of labor, control, and the transformation of nature.