Exterieur van huizen van Karo Batakkers op Sumatra c. 1900 - 1920

This photograph shows the exterior of Karo Batak houses in Sumatra and was taken by Christiaan Benjamin Nieuwenhuis. The architecture is striking, with steeply pitched roofs adorned with symbolic carvings. Made during the late 19th or early 20th century, this image exists within a colonial context. Nieuwenhuis, a Dutch artist, documented the landscape and people of the Dutch East Indies. The photograph presents a specific view of Sumatran culture, framed by European perspectives and power dynamics. What social and political narratives are at play here? How does the photographer position himself, and by extension his Dutch audience, in relation to the Karo Batak people and their architectural traditions? By exploring archival materials, travelogues, and studies of colonial history, we can critically examine photographs like these. This allows a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between representation, power, and cultural exchange.