Gezicht op het woud, Rimhoen Estate, Sumatra (Waldparthie Rimhoen Estate) c. 1885 - 1900

This photograph shows a view of the Rimhoen Estate on Sumatra, taken by Carl J. Kleingrothe, who lived from 1864 to 1925. Kleingrothe documented landscapes shaped by Dutch colonialism. This image presents a seemingly untouched forest, yet it embodies a complex intersection of nature, labor, and colonial power. Sumatra, then part of the Dutch East Indies, was exploited for its natural resources. Estates like Rimhoen were centers of agricultural production, relying on the labor of indigenous populations under harsh conditions. The photograph romanticizes the landscape, obscuring the realities of colonial exploitation. While lush and inviting, this image is also a silent witness to a history of inequality and oppression. It invites us to reflect on whose perspectives are prioritized and whose stories remain untold.