Koffie 1868 - 1881

This print, made by Gualtherus Kolff, presents a series of vignettes portraying the coffee-making process. The composition is structured around these distinct scenes, each delineated by subtle shifts in perspective and color. The palette is restrained, dominated by earthy tones and muted greens, evoking a sense of understated realism. The formal arrangement, however, belies a deeper narrative structure. Kolff uses these visual elements to construct a semiotic system, where each stage, from picking to grinding, functions as a signifier. The artist's deliberate placement of figures and objects within each frame serves to highlight the labor involved, yet also hints at the regimented, almost mechanical nature, of colonial production. The mountain at the bottom creates a sense of location. Ultimately, the piece is less about the aesthetic and more about unveiling the underlying codes of cultural and economic exchange.