Gezicht op een boerderij te Angola before 1886

José Augusto da Cunha Moraes captured this photograph titled 'View of a Farm in Angola' at an unknown date. This image offers a glimpse into the social and economic landscape of colonial Angola. Farms like the one depicted were central to the Portuguese colonial project, extracting resources and exploiting labor. The photograph subtly reinforces the colonial narrative of progress and development. Moraes, active during a period of intense colonial expansion, likely produced this image within the framework of colonial institutions. The photograph, though seemingly innocuous, reflects the power dynamics of the time, where even landscape views were implicated in the project of colonial control. To understand this image fully, we need to delve into the archives, examining colonial records and accounts to uncover the stories of those who lived and worked on these farms. Only then can we begin to appreciate the complex social realities behind this seemingly simple view.