Linker gedeelte van een panoramafoto met de Bromo en omgeving, Java, voormalig Nederlands-Indië 1903 - 1912

This is a black and white photograph of Java taken by Onnes Kurkdjian, likely using a large format camera. Just imagine the photographer setting up their equipment, framing the shot, and waiting for the perfect light to capture this incredible view. The Bromo volcano looms in the distance, surrounded by a sea of clouds. It reminds me a bit of Frederick Church, if he worked with a camera. There's this tension between the solid, grounded mountains and the ethereal, ever-shifting clouds that feels really dynamic. What did it feel like for Kurkdjian to be there? You can almost feel the cool, damp air and hear the silence of the landscape. I wonder if Kurkdjian was thinking about the sublime when he made this photograph. The photograph makes me think of the grand tradition of landscape painting. It's like he's saying, "Look at this incredible place!"