Gezicht op het dorp Bukum (boven), koffie- en rubberplantage Dolok Baros Estate (midden) en dorpelingen in Tjinkem (onder) op Sumatra before 1898

This photographic print by Carl J. Kleingrothe presents three distinct views of Sumatra, each varying in scale and perspective. The tonal range of the monochrome print evokes a sense of distance and a muted, earthy atmosphere. Formally, the composition is divided into three unequal sections, creating a visual hierarchy. The top image shows the village of Bukum, where the organic forms of the dense foliage contrast sharply with the structured architecture. The middle image shifts to the Dolok Baros Estate, dominated by the geometric regularity of the coffee and rubber plants. This is offset against the natural undulation of the distant mountains. Finally, the bottom section depicts villagers in Tjinkem, captured beneath the broad, triangular expanse of a traditional Sumatran roof. The arrangement suggests a study in contrasts: nature versus cultivation, community versus industry, and the specific versus the panoramic. The photograph challenges us to consider how these spaces are interconnected, and how they reflect the socio-economic landscape of Sumatra at the time.