Supposed grave of depatie Olah, founder of the Pajajaran dynasty, the last Hindu kingdom in West Java. Possibly 1863 - 1864

Isidore Kinsbergen made this photograph of the supposed grave of Depatie Olah using a camera and darkroom techniques. It is a reminder that photography itself is a kind of making. Consider the way Kinsbergen, a Dutch artist working in the Dutch East Indies, carefully composed the image. Kinsbergen likely printed this photograph using albumen paper, made by coating paper with egg white and silver nitrate. This process would have given the print its warm tone and smooth surface. The image of the tomb suggests an engagement with local cultural heritage, but consider the social context in which this photograph was made. The Dutch colonial presence in Indonesia was built on the exploitation of resources and labor. This image raises questions about representation, power, and the act of documenting a culture from an outsider's perspective. By examining the photograph's materials and processes, we can better understand its historical significance and the complex relationship between art, colonialism, and cultural identity.