Coffee Picker Portrait, Deli Plantations, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, c.1900

€ 440

Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)

Date: 1900
Mapmaker / artist: C.J. Kleingrothe, Medan (printed by J.B. Obernetter, Munich), ca. 1900
Technique: Photogravure
Sheet size: 45 × 34 cm (17.7 × 13.4 in)
Reference: BG-05079-19

What the condition grades mean

Excellent: Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good: Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good: Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair: Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.

Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.

Condition

Very good. Sheet exhibits scattered foxing and slight toning in the margins consistent with age. Image area well-preserved with a strong impression and visible plate mark.

About this sheet

Coffee Picker – Kleingrothe Photogravure of Deli Plantations, Sumatra c.1900

This original early 20th-century photogravure printed by J.B. Obernetter in Munich features a coffee harvester working among the plantation fields of Deli, in East Sumatra. The image was created by the renowned German photographer C.J. Kleingrothe, whose documentation of colonial Sumatra ranks among the most important visual records of Indonesia at the turn of the century.

A young woman balances on a traditional wooden ladder, carefully reaching into densely leafed coffee plants that stretch into the distance. Her sarong, poised stance, and focused expression offer a humanizing portrait of plantation labor — the essential hands behind one of Sumatra’s most valuable exports. The lush plantation rows emphasize the scale and productivity of the estate, while the clear sky and soft light bring a tranquil clarity to the scene.

This print was originally issued in the promotional atlas “Sumatra’s O.K.”, produced for major plantation companies during a period of rapid agricultural expansion in the Dutch East Indies. Kleingrothe’s skillful composition and the rich tonal depth of the gravure printing technique make this an exceptionally decorative and historically engaging work. It appeals to collectors of Southeast Asian history, documentary photography, and agricultural heritage.

Framing tips: A lightly toned off-white mount complements the sepia gravure surface beautifully. A natural wood frame such as teak or walnut enhances both the subject and its tropical origin.