Woning aan een rivier op Java c. 1857 - 1870

Woodbury & Page, a commercial photography studio, captured this albumen print of a riverside dwelling in Java. Though seemingly a tranquil landscape, it's impossible to separate this image from the context of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia. During this period, photography was often employed as a tool to document and, in many ways, exoticize colonized lands and people. This image, with its picturesque composition, evokes a sense of the ‘untouched’ orient, ready for Western consumption. Yet, what stories lie hidden in this seemingly benign image? The house by the river, a testament to Javanese life, becomes a mere backdrop. The identities and histories of the inhabitants are subsumed by the colonial gaze. In reflecting on this photograph, consider the power dynamics at play and the untold narratives that are silenced in the pursuit of an idealized image of colonial life.