About this sheet
Mountain Road and Waterfall in the Tengger Range – Java Lithograph, Published 1872
This powerful and richly detailed chromolithograph captures a dramatic stretch of road through the Tengger Mountains in the far eastern part of Java. It is plate number 23 from the rare and important folio *Java, naar schilderijen en teekeningen van A. Salm*, with lithography by J.C. Greive Jr., published in Amsterdam by Frans Buffa & Zonen around 1872.
The scene follows the "grote weg van Buitenzorg naar de Preanger Regentschappen"—the main colonial road connecting Buitenzorg (Bogor) with the interior of West and East Java. The road cuts through a steep mountain pass, hugged on the right by rugged, towering limestone cliffs and lined with wooden guardrails. On the left, a wild stream plunges in a cascading waterfall, tumbling into a deep ravine below, where buffaloes wade through the shallow waters.
Ox-drawn carts and local figures are visible on the road, including travelers and workers on foot, guiding their animals through the mountainous terrain. The composition is carefully balanced between the vertical thrust of the cliffs and the dynamic movement of the waterfall and road. Layers of rolling hills fade into the distance beneath a pale golden sky, suggesting either dawn or late afternoon light.
This work is one of the most dramatic and topographically expressive images in the *Java* series, offering insight into both natural grandeur and human adaptation to a rugged landscape. Salm’s original painting and Greive’s hand-finished lithography bring out the textures of stone, forest, and water with remarkable precision.
For collectors of colonial-era prints, topographical art, or Southeast Asian landscapes, this plate captures the intersection of nature, infrastructure, and local life in 19th-century Java.
Condition report:
The print is in very good condition. The image itself is clean and vibrant, with excellent color retention. The margins display some light age-toning and foxing, mostly visible in the upper left. The original printed title ticket is present and intact in the lower right.
Framing suggestion:
A dark wood or stone-textured frame would suit the strong geological elements of the scene. Use a light tan or sand-colored archival mat to enhance the warm light and emphasize the detail in the rocky cliffs and waterfall. UV-protective museum glass is recommended to preserve the depth and tone of this visually rich print.
------
The complete list from this work below. A large number of them available for purchase in my shop:
1. Het land Tjitarap; Assistent-Residentie Buitenzorg
The land of Tjitarap; Assistant Residency of Buitenzorg
2. De Vulkaan de Smeroe; genomen uit de Residentie Pasoeroean
The volcano Smeroe; seen from the Pasoeroean Residency
3. Waterval Singahan; Residentie Rembang
The Singahan Waterfall; Rembang Residency
4. De Suikerfabriek Pangka; Residentie Tagal
The sugar factory Pangka; Tagal Residency
5. Gezicht op het land Tjiliboet; Assistent-Residentie Buitenzorg
View of the land of Tjiliboet; Assistant Residency of Buitenzorg
6. De kleine Baai Srigonjo, zuidkust van Java; Assistent-Residentie Malang, Residentie Pasoeroean
The small bay of Srigonjo, south coast of Java; Assistant Residency of Malang, Pasoeroean Residency
7. Anjer, straat Sunda, Noordkust van Java; Residentie Bantam
Anjer, Sunda Strait, north coast of Java; Bantam Residency
8. De Vuurspuwende Berg Bromo in 1856; Residentie Probolingo
The erupting Mount Bromo in 1856; Probolingo Residency
9. Gezicht op de rivier de Solo; Assistent-Residentie Toeban, Residentie Rembang
View of the Solo River; Assistant Residency of Toeban, Rembang Residency
10. Gezicht op het Kawische Gebergte en op de Tabaks-onderneming; Assistent-Residentie Malang
View of the Kawische Mountains and a tobacco plantation; Assistant Residency of Malang
11. Weg van Buitenzorg naar de Vallei van den Salakh; Residentie Buitenzorg
Road from Buitenzorg to the Valley of Salakh; Buitenzorg Residency
12. De Rivier Brantas als Bergstroom; Residentie Pasoeroean
The Brantas River as a mountain stream; Pasoeroean Residency
13. Landschap in de Bataviasche ommelanden
Landscape in the surroundings of Batavia
14. Landschap in het Malangsche; Residentie Pasoeroean
Landscape in the Malang region; Pasoeroean Residency
15. Huwelijks-optocht in de Vallei van den Salakh
Wedding procession in the Valley of Salakh
16. Landschap in de Residentie Bantam
Landscape in the Bantam Residency
17. Gezicht op het land Kedong Badak en den grooten weg naar Buitenzorg
View of the land Kedong Badak and the main road to Buitenzorg
18. Dorpsfeest in de omstreken van den Ardjoeno; Residentie Soerabaja
Village festival in the surroundings of Mount Ardjoeno; Soerabaja Residency
19. Landschap bij maneschijn in de omstreken van Sumedang; Preanger regentschappen
Moonlit landscape in the surroundings of Sumedang...
