Gezigt op de in bewerking zijnde baan tusschen piket 160 & 164. / In het verschiet ziet men achter de dessa's Doplang (piket 178) en Pakis (piket 183) voltooide gedeelten der hier zeer bogtige baan uitkomen. 1867 - 1868

Editor: Here we have a landscape photograph from between 1867 and 1868 by Woodbury & Page. It's an albumen print titled "Gezigt op de in bewerking zijnde baan tusschen piket 160 & 164..." showing a railway construction site. It feels… monumental, yet melancholic. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's interesting that you sense melancholy. I see a landscape, yes, but also the violent imposition of colonial infrastructure. Woodbury & Page were active in colonial Indonesia. That railway represents the extraction of resources and exploitation of labor, forever changing the landscape and the lives of its inhabitants. Look at the way the cut through the land dominates the composition. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. I was focusing on the scale and the light. So, the "monumental" feeling is tied to the power dynamic you're describing? Curator: Precisely. These types of images weren't just documenting progress; they were actively promoting and legitimizing colonial ambitions. The very act of photographing, of framing and presenting this scene, is an act of control and reinforces the colonial gaze. Consider who this image was meant for – likely European investors and administrators, not the local population. Editor: So, it’s not just a landscape; it’s a tool of empire. I see the photograph differently now, and the role the photographers played in documenting and justifying that colonial project. Thanks for showing that to me. Curator: And thank you for reminding me to reflect critically on how we engage with historical documents like this. We both benefited from this conversation.