Regenbui boven de rijstvelden bij Gitgit op Bali 1908

Wijnand Otto Jan Nieuwenkamp made this etching titled 'Rain Shower over the Rice Fields near Gitgit on Bali' in 1908. Here we see a landscape in Bali during Dutch colonial rule, rendered through the European printmaking technique. The image invites us to consider the politics of representation inherent in landscape art. The etching medium lends itself to detailed depictions of light and atmosphere, but it is also important to recognize that the view itself is constructed. What is the public role of this image? Is it to document, to celebrate, or perhaps to subtly assert Dutch power over the Indonesian landscape? The rice fields represent a vital part of the Balinese economy and society, and the rain is a symbol of life and abundance. Further historical research into Dutch colonial art and travelogues of the period could provide us with the social and institutional context needed to understand this image more deeply.