Drie krijgers met speren op paarden (vermoedelijk) te Nieuw-Guinea c. 1915 - 1935

This small photograph was taken by Huis Wurffel, and it depicts three warriors with spears on horses, likely in New Guinea. Photographs are never simply neutral records of reality. Here, we must ask, what kind of materials, processes, and social dynamics went into producing this image? Photography at this time was a complex craft, requiring a mastery of chemistry and optics, and a considerable investment in equipment. This points to the economic conditions that made photography possible, with links to trade, resource extraction, and colonialism. The three warriors pictured are elaborately costumed, adorned with textiles, feathers and other organic materials, each carefully worked by hand. Photography offered a way to capture and circulate images of people, places, and cultures, often with political consequences. It is important to question how images such as this one might reinforce stereotypes, or contribute to unequal power dynamics. By focusing on the materials, processes, and social context of photography, we can begin to understand the full meaning of this photograph.