Pagina 49 van fotoboek van de Algemeene Vereeniging van Rubberplanters ter Oostkust van Sumatra (A.V.R.O.S.) c. 1924 - 1925

This photograph, taken by J.W. Meyster, is a page from a photo book documenting the Sumatra's rubber plantations. The sepia tones speak to early photographic processes, where light-sensitive materials captured images on paper. But beyond its technical aspects, this image speaks to broader social and economic narratives. The neatly terraced landscape shows the scale of human intervention for rubber production, and the intense labor required. While the trees stand serene, the context is one of colonial exploitation, and of the workers who toiled to transform the landscape. Photographs like this, though seemingly simple, are powerful artifacts. They reflect the entwined histories of technology, labor, and global capitalism, challenging us to look beyond the surface and consider the complex layers of meaning embedded within the image.