Samarang - Privaathuis (mr de Jong) 1863 - 1869

Woodbury & Page made this albumen print titled "Samarang - Privaathuis (mr de Jong)," which translates to "Samarang - Private House (Mr. de Jong)," capturing a moment in colonial Java. In the photograph, we see a gathering of Europeans and at least one Javanese individual in front of a grand house. The image speaks volumes about the complex social hierarchy of the time, with Europeans positioned as the central figures and local populations on the periphery. The architecture itself embodies colonial power, a European-style building set within Indonesian soil. The way identity is negotiated here is striking. The sitters are participating in a visual dance of power and status. Woodbury & Page were commercial photographers catering to a European clientele, reinforcing a certain colonial gaze. Consider how photography during this period served as a tool for constructing and disseminating ideas about race, class, and cultural difference. This image invites us to reflect on the emotional and psychological dimensions of colonialism, both for those who wielded power and those who were subjected to it.