Tinmijn te Soengeiliat 1900 - 1922

This is a stereograph titled "Tinmijn te Soengeiliat" by Robert Julius Boers, part of the Rijksmuseum collection. The sepia tones imbue the scene with a stark, documentary feel. The composition is bisected, presenting a comparative view of the tin mine. Note how the symmetrical arrangement draws our eye across the landscape, from the figures to the textured earth and rudimentary mining structures. Boers uses the stereograph format, popular in the late 19th century, to enhance the sense of depth and realism. But this choice also invites a critical reading. Does the doubled image simply offer a fuller picture, or does it subtly highlight the repetitive, relentless nature of colonial extraction? The formal structure of the stereograph then serves to underscore the socio-political realities of the mining operation. Consider how the formal properties of photography here engage with broader themes of labor, colonialism, and representation. The image prompts us to reflect on the ways in which visual media can both reveal and conceal aspects of our shared history.