Man met parasol op een weg, Ceylon (?) Sri Lanka (?) c. 1875 - 1910

This photograph of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, was produced by W.L.H. Skeen & Co. It depicts a man with a parasol walking along a path, and its visual codes speak volumes about the colonial era in which it was created. Ceylon, under British rule, was a land undergoing significant social and economic transformation. The image likely romanticizes the landscape while subtly reinforcing colonial power dynamics through representation. The choice to focus on what seems to be a local man with a parasol, a symbol of status, raises questions about the photographer's intent. Analyzing such images requires delving into the archives, exploring travel literature, and understanding the development of photography as a tool of colonial documentation. Through such research, we can understand the complex interplay between art, power, and representation.