Eiso Bergsma en een Franse logée, vermoedelijk op Sumatra 1914 - 1926

This is an anonymous photograph whose title suggests it depicts Eiso Bergsma with a French guest, likely taken in Sumatra. The photograph offers a window into the social dynamics of the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, during the colonial era. It is likely that Bergsma was part of the Dutch colonial administration or a business owner, given his Western attire and the presence of what appears to be a French woman visiting or residing with him. The presence of locals in what appears to be servant uniforms, points to the racial and class hierarchies that were embedded in colonial society. The image captures a moment of cultural exchange, though unequal, where the lives of Europeans and the local population intersected. It serves as a reminder of the complex relationships forged during periods of colonial expansion. While on the surface it may seem like a simple snapshot, it encapsulates the tensions between colonizer and colonized.