Zicht op de Borobudur 1860 - 1880

Woodbury & Page made this albumen print, titled "Zicht op de Borobudur," in what was then the Dutch East Indies. The photograph captures the Borobudur temple, a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist monument in Central Java, Indonesia. The temple's imposing structure is framed by tall trees, creating a striking contrast between nature and human construction. Note how the inclusion of local figures in the foreground invites contemplation about the relationship between the temple and the community. Woodbury & Page, a prominent photography studio, documented various aspects of life in the Dutch East Indies, catering largely to a European audience. The photograph operates as both a visual record and a form of cultural representation, reflecting the colonial gaze and its interest in exoticizing distant lands and ancient monuments. To fully understand the image, we might consult archives of colonial photography and accounts from the period to better appreciate the complex historical forces that shaped its production and reception.