Portret van de Klaas Kleiterp, zijn vrouw Tine Kleiterp-Vermeulen en hun kinderen Klaas (links) en Tiny in Madjene op Celebes 1921

This photograph was taken by Klaas Kleiterp in Madjene, on the island of Celebes, at an unknown date. It shows Klaas with his wife and children. The photograph itself, made using a chemical process to capture light, is an everyday technology, reflecting the increasing availability of image-making at the turn of the century. The family is dressed in immaculate white clothing, the woven texture of the wicker chairs contrasting with the smooth material of their garments. The process of colonial administration in Indonesia involved intense labor, for the people who lived there. The colonial administrators needed to present themselves as impeccably well-turned-out masters of the domain. Understanding this photograph means considering the social context of its production. The image is an artifact of the colonial project, a material document of the era. The photograph challenges traditional distinctions between art and craft, inviting us to see how they are connected.