Battak kampong op Sumatra 1890 - 1910

Editor: So, this photograph is titled "Battak kampong op Sumatra", taken sometime between 1890 and 1910. It’s an albumen print by Stafhell & Kleingrothe, housed at the Rijksmuseum. It strikes me as a very still, almost staged scene. The light is flat, and everyone seems posed. What do you make of it? Curator: That stillness grabs me too. I see not just a record, but an imagined version of this place. Think about it: photography back then demanded long exposures. It was like painting with light, and these guys were staging reality. Aren't those triangular roofs magnificent? Do you get the feeling of them reaching towards something… divine? Or, perhaps, just catching every blessed drop of rain? Editor: They're so distinctive, aren't they? Is that a typical feature of architecture in Sumatra? Curator: Absolutely. The Batak people are renowned for their traditional houses, or *rumah adat*. Those towering roofs aren’t just for show. They're deeply symbolic, connected to ancestry, social hierarchy, even the cosmos! Looking at this photo, you're catching a glimpse of not just buildings, but a whole worldview rendered in wood and thatch. But tell me, what does the fact it's a photograph add to our understanding? Editor: Hmm, maybe that it offers a supposed 'objective' view that painting, for example, might not. Although you’re right, it’s clearly been staged! I guess seeing it as a photograph makes it feel more 'real,' even if it’s constructed. Curator: Precisely! That tension is what makes it sing! It captures both a fleeting moment in time and a constructed narrative about culture and place. Thanks for sharing your views! Editor: Likewise. Thinking about the staged nature of the photo has really opened my eyes!