« L’attente silencieuse »: Antiquités javanaises et photographie au xixe siècle dans les Indes orientales néerlandaises

Supartono, Alexander

Abstract

This essay discusses the significant role of archaeological expeditions in the early development of photography in the Dutch East Indies (colonial Indonesia). In the wake of competitive archaeological treasure hunts in the 19th century, the camera was a device welcomed by Dutch colonial administrator for its capacity to provide a faithful description and truthful impression of ancient Hindu-Buddhist temples and antiquities in Java. Early photography expeditions in the island, whether government-sponsored or private and commercially initiated, typically carried proto-archaeological agendas. Through close reading of photographs from Adolph Schaefer, Woodbury & Page studio, Isidore van Kinsbergen, and Kassian Cephas, the essay examines how the European and Javanese photographers, who mastered their trade under the tropical sun, adopted and adapted the veracity of the camera to project their sense, vision and imagination on Javanese antiquity within the context of colonial archaeological project.

Citation

Supartono, A. (2024). « L’attente silencieuse »: Antiquités javanaises et photographie au xixe siècle dans les Indes orientales néerlandaises. Photographica, 9, 62-80. https://doi.org/10.4000/12paq

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 20, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Nov 14, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024
• Deposit Date: Jan 10, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 10, 2025
• Journal: Photographica
• Electronic ISSN: 2740-5826
• Publisher: Éditions de la Sorbonne
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 9
• Pages: 62-80
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/12paq
• Keywords: antiquity, photography, colonial, java, archaeology, indonesia