Huizen 1863 - 1869

Woodbury & Page created this photograph, titled "Huizen," capturing buildings within a landscape. Photographers Woodbury and Page operated in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, during a period of intense colonial activity. The image provides a glimpse into the architecture and environment of the time, yet it also prompts questions about the power dynamics inherent in colonial photography. Who are the inhabitants of these houses? What stories do their lives tell? The very act of photographing this scene involves a relationship between the photographers, their subjects, and the broader colonial context. It is impossible to ignore the social and political implications embedded in this seemingly straightforward depiction of place. This image reflects a specific way of seeing, one shaped by the cultural biases and historical circumstances of its creators.