Tuin bij een huis 1863 - 1869

Woodbury and Page created this photograph, "Garden by a House," using the albumen print process. It's a seemingly straightforward depiction of a domestic scene, but it’s worth considering the context in which it was made. Woodbury and Page were commercial photographers operating in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, during a period of intense colonial activity. The photograph, with its meticulously arranged foliage and glimpses of a well-maintained house, speaks to the visual codes of colonial authority and the imposition of a certain kind of order. The very act of photographing and circulating such images served to reinforce the power dynamics of the time, presenting an idealized vision of colonial life. Understanding the photograph requires archival research to uncover details about the photographers, their clientele, and the broader social and political landscape of the Dutch East Indies.