Pagina 159 van fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) c. 1924 - 1925

This photograph, "Pagina 159," from a rubber plantation's photo book, likely taken in the early 20th century, offers a glimpse into another world. The sepia tones create a sense of distance, a layer of time that separates us from the scene. Look at how the light filters through the dense foliage of the rubber trees. It's not just a record; it’s a study in contrasts. Light and shadow become almost abstract, flattening the space. The worker carrying a huge bundle becomes part of that pattern, blending into the landscape. There's something unsettling about how the figure is almost swallowed by the greenery, a reminder of labor and a way of life now gone. It makes me think about other documentarians, people like August Sander, who looked at the social structures of their time with a similarly detached eye. It's not sentimental, but it's definitely thought-provoking.