Stilleven van tropische vruchten c. 1857 - 1880

This photographic still life, titled ‘Stilleven van tropische vruchten’, was created by Woodbury & Page in Java. The photograph is part of an album and presents a complex visual record of Java in the colonial era. The work offers a window into the cultural dynamics of the time, highlighting the intersection of Dutch colonial power and Indonesian culture. The composition invites reflection on the relationship between the colonizers and the colonized and how those power dynamics shaped artistic and cultural representations. We see carefully arranged tropical fruits and foliage that evokes both abundance and exoticism. The photograph functions as a kind of cultural artifact, one that reflects the intersection of colonial narratives and local realities, and it invites us to consider whose perspectives are privileged. It offers a glimpse into the social, economic, and cultural complexities of the era.