Gezicht op de Sinabongvulkaan (boven), landschap met buffels (midden) en gezicht op de Sibayakvulkaan (onder) op Sumatra before 1898

Carl J. Kleingrothe created these photographs of Sumatra sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The images depict the volcanoes Sinabung and Sibayak, alongside a landscape with buffalos. These documentary photographs can be understood within the context of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia. During this period, the Dutch sought to map and document the natural resources of the archipelago for economic exploitation. Kleingrothe's images, while seemingly benign landscapes, contributed to the colonial project by visually cataloging the region. The photographs also reflect the Western gaze on non-Western landscapes, framing Sumatra as an exotic and untamed land. Understanding the historical context allows us to see beyond the surface of these images and recognize their role in shaping perceptions of Indonesia during the colonial era. To understand better the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized, one might consult the historical archives, travel writing, and postcolonial literature on this period.