Gezicht op Tjemara Allee, Tandjong Poera, Sumatra (Tjemara Allee Tandjong Poera) c. 1885 - 1900

This photographic print by Carl Kleingrothe captures Tjemara Allee in Tandjong Poera, Sumatra. The ordered rows of trees lining the avenue evoke a sense of constructed harmony, yet these are not just any trees; they are Tjemara, or pine-like trees. The path, drawing the eye into the distance, becomes a symbolic journey. Trees, as symbols, bear the weight of history. The ordered planting can be traced back to ancient Roman landscaping and resonates with colonial-era impositions of order. The tree-lined avenue evokes a feeling of longing. This arrangement is reminiscent of similar avenues in European gardens. The path ahead beckons, suggesting journeys, both physical and metaphorical. One recalls similar compositions in 17th-century Dutch landscape paintings or even classical Roman roads. The image taps into our collective memories and subconscious desires for order. The colonizing forces’ imposition of order on a landscape far from home triggers deep-seated psychological responses. This scene is both serene and unsettling, a testament to the complex layers of meaning that a simple avenue can hold.