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Belawan Harbour & Labourers, Sumatra, Indonesia, Kleingrothe Photogravure 1900
$260
€230 · £195
Original print, not a reproduction.
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- Date
- 1900
- Sheet size
- 17.7 × 13.4 in (45 × 34 cm)
- Condition
- Very good for age. Light age-toning and occasional foxing spots in the margins only. Image rich and crisp. Visible plate mark. No tears. Not framed.
- Collection
- Harbours & ports
- Era
- 1850 and after, Steam and steel
- Stock no.
- f_47666042
Belawan Harbour & Labourers, Sumatra (Kleingrothe Photogravure, c.1900)
A powerful original photogravure by C.J. Kleingrothe, capturing the bustling colonial port of Belawan near Medan, North Sumatra, around 1900. Belawan served as the primary harbour for the Deli plantation economy, exporting tobacco, rubber, palm oil, and other commodities to international markets.
This large-format sheet features two harbour scenes. The upper view shows labourers on the dockside working around a moored steamship, illustrating the intense maritime logistics and reliance on manual labour. The lower view provides a wider panorama of port structures, industrial warehouses, and ships docked and anchored in the bay.
Kleingrothe was a German photographer active in Medan and is regarded as the most important visual chronicler of North Sumatra’s plantation era. His work today is highly collectible for its historical documentation of colonial architecture, industry, and society in the former Dutch East Indies.
Ideal for collectors of maritime history, industrial heritage, or Southeast Asian colonial-era prints.
Condition: Very good for age. Light age-toning and occasional foxing spots in the margins only. Image rich and crisp. Visible plate mark. No tears. Not framed.
Framing tips: A dark wood or black frame pairs beautifully with the tonal palette. Consider a wide off-white mat to highlight the dual-image composition.
Technique: Photogravure
Maker: C.J. Kleingrothe, Medan, circa 1900
