De vrouwenzaaltjes van het Hospitaal Batak Instituut te Kaban Djahe met bezoek der patienten op het grasveld ervoor. 1926

This photograph of the women's wards of the Batak Institute Hospital in Kaban Djahe was taken in 1926. The architecture of the building is striking in its functional simplicity. The long, low structure is rhythmically divided by the repetition of windows and doors. This creates a sense of order and control that is further reinforced by the perspective. The monochrome flattens the tonal range, directing attention to the geometric interplay between the horizontal building and the receding lawn. The arrangement of patients in the foreground introduces a human element, yet the figures are uniformly lit, becoming part of the overall composition. The photograph's meaning emerges from the tensions between the structured environment and the individuals within it. The receding perspective and flat lighting not only organize the space but also serve to frame the people and their position in it. It's a reminder that even in a seemingly neutral depiction, choices about composition and form can reveal underlying social and philosophical viewpoints.