De Uitkijk aan het Havenkanaal te Batavia 1862 - 1868

This photograph, "De Uitkijk aan het Havenkanaal te Batavia" was made with a camera and chemical processes by Woodbury & Page. As a mode of production, photography captures the real world, but the photographer makes choices about how the material is presented. Here, the colonial context of Batavia, now Jakarta, Indonesia, is made clear by the composition. Note the contrast between the European architecture of the Uitkijk, and the indigenous boats in the foreground. The image is sepia-toned, a result of the developing process used at the time. This lends a nostalgic, even romantic feel, which tends to soften the harsher realities of colonial exploitation. Photography’s accessibility made it a powerful tool for documenting and shaping perceptions of different cultures. It straddles the line between documentation and art, implicitly influencing labor, politics, and consumption, by showing us what the world looks like, and how we are meant to see it. Understanding this context helps us to appreciate the photograph’s full meaning, challenging our preconceptions about fine art and its relationship to the world around us.