Gezicht op een groep onbekende Europese personen voor een woning te Mataram before 1897

Christiaan Johan Neeb made this photograph of a group of Europeans in front of a house in Mataram. The image presents a seemingly neutral scene, but photography in this era was deeply implicated in the colonial project. Consider that Neeb was a Dutch photographer active in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. The photograph likely dates from the late 19th or early 20th century, a period of intense Dutch colonial control. The subjects, identified as European, are positioned in front of a local dwelling. This juxtaposition speaks volumes about the social hierarchy and power dynamics of the time. Who commissioned this photograph and for what purpose? Was it intended to document, to celebrate colonial presence, or something else? Understanding the historical context is crucial. Colonial archives, personal letters, and official reports can shed light on the photographer's intentions and the photograph's original audience. In scrutinizing this image, we begin to understand the complex social conditions that shaped its production and reception.