Photographic subjects: Monarchy and visual culture in colonial Indonesia

Description

Photographic subjects examines photography at royal celebrations during the reign of Queens Wilhelmina (1898–1948) and Juliana (1948–80), a period spanning the zenith and fall of Dutch rule in Indonesia. It is the first monograph in English on the Dutch monarchy and the Netherlands’ modern empire in the age of mass and amateur photography. Photographs forged imperial networks, negotiated relations of recognition and subjecthood between Indonesians and Dutch authorities, and informed cultural modes of citizenship at a time of accelerated colonial expansion and major social change in the East Indies/Indonesia. This book advances methods in the uses of photographs for social and cultural history, reveals the entanglement of Dutch and Indonesian histories in the twentieth century, and provides a new interpretation of Queens Wilhelmina and Juliana as imperial monarchs. Front matter Contents List of figures Acknowledgements List of abbreviations Map Monarchy and empire in the age of mass photography: the Dutch colonial world during Queen Wilhelmina’s reign, 1898–1948 Behold the queen: portraits of the monarch in colonial ritual Family connections: mass photography, monarchy and the making of colonial subjects Modern subjects: lights, camera and … ‘Ethical’ rule! Snapshot diplomacy: photographic encounters between Dutch and Indonesian royals Governing difference: unity in diversity at royal celebrations The empire is dead, long live the queen! Bibliography Index