Pagina 109 van fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) c. 1924 - 1925

This photograph, taken by J.W. Meyster, is from a photo album of the General Association of Rubber Planters on the East Coast of Sumatra. Look at the bridge; it spans not just the river, but also a moment in time, connecting the natural world with the industrial ambitions of the era. I imagine Meyster, camera in hand, carefully framing this shot. Did he consider the composition, the way the light kisses the water? Was he thinking about the people who built this bridge, or the rubber it was meant to transport? The sepia tones lend a historical weight to the scene, inviting us to consider the broader narratives of colonialism and resource extraction that shaped this landscape. Painters like Edward Hopper also found beauty in industrial scenes, capturing the stark beauty of modern infrastructure. Like Hopper, Meyster shows us the geometry, and the human impact on it, both good and bad.