Mannen in een auto 1900 - 1922

This curious picture, "Mannen in een auto" (Men in a Car) by Robert Julius Boers, feels less like a slick advert and more like a quiet observation of a tropical day, right? I'm drawn to the figures in their white uniforms, clustered around this early automobile. They are framed by this lush, exotic foliage. You can almost feel the heavy, humid air of what I imagine must have been the Dutch East Indies where Boers spent much of his life. I wonder about the figures: are they local dignitaries? Plantation owners? What are their stories? The picture is so matter-of-fact, almost offhand, but it hints at the social dynamics of that place and time. The artist holds back, resisting to give us all the answers. But maybe the questions are the point, you know?