Groepsportret van onbekende mannen, de Raad van Kerta before 1897

This photograph of the Kerta Council was taken in the Dutch East Indies by Christiaan Johan Neeb. It captures a moment of colonial administration but also reveals the complexities of cultural exchange and power dynamics. The image presents a group of men, presumably local leaders, seated in a formal arrangement. The setting itself is telling; the architecture blends indigenous and colonial styles, a visual metaphor for the merging of cultures under Dutch rule. Neeb, as a photographer working within this colonial context, played a role in shaping perceptions of the local population. The very act of photographing the council could be seen as an assertion of Dutch authority, framing the Kerta Council within a Western gaze. To fully understand the photograph, we need to delve into Dutch colonial history, exploring how institutions like the Kerta Council were used to govern the local population. Records from colonial archives, missionary accounts, and the writings of Indonesian intellectuals all provide valuable insights. The meaning of this photograph is bound up with this history and it can tell us much about the reciprocal relationship between art, culture, and power.