Batavia - Privaathuis op Tanah-Abang (mr. Rochussen) 1863 - 1866

Curator: At first glance, it feels like a stage set, somehow detached from its surroundings, a very interesting play of geometric form. Editor: Indeed. This is a gelatin-silver print dating from 1863-1866 entitled "Batavia - Privaathuis op Tanah-Abang (mr. Rochussen)" created by Woodbury & Page. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Curator: Rochussen…the name makes me immediately think about colonial history and power structures within Dutch colonial society, the orientalist gaze in play. This serene, almost idyllic, scene would have carried far more complex and, arguably, violent implications. Editor: Precisely. Notice how the stark white building, with its imposing façade and neoclassical design, presents a striking contrast with the tropical vegetation. Palm trees become picturesque backdrops to project a particular idea of control. Curator: The way the figures are positioned, almost like accessories, adds to this impression. They're placed there to enhance the grandeur of the building, a testament to colonial order and domesticity. The very presence of these figures normalizes a world dominated by that imposing architecture and the colonial gaze embedded within it. Editor: Also interesting is the medium—photography itself at that time was a relatively new technology. The gelatin-silver print allowed for sharper detail. It captured a kind of “truth,” while simultaneously being shaped to a constructed representation of colonial life. Curator: Exactly, the formal elements become tools used to communicate specific cultural values. Through the lens, photography reinforces these values and helps transmit it as both “beautiful” and "true," and ultimately natural. Editor: This exploration reveals layers beyond a simple landscape. Curator: It demonstrates how visual imagery is imbued with ideologies that, once unveiled, enrich and sometimes completely changes the viewing experience.