Kappen van oerbos voor de aanleg van een rubberplantage van de Deli Maatschappij bij Soengei Tassik op Sumatra c. 1900 - 1920

This anonymous photograph, taken sometime between 1900 and 1920, depicts the clearing of a Sumatran rainforest for the construction of a rubber plantation. The image, now part of the Rijksmuseum collection, captures a poignant moment of environmental change. The felled trees and stumps litter the forest floor, contrasting starkly with the remaining, towering trees. This photograph, with its stark contrast of light and shadow, provides a powerful visual reminder of the impact of human activity on the natural world, and the legacy of colonialism in Southeast Asia.