Belawan Harbour & Laborers – Sumatra, Indonesia - Kleingrothe Photogravure 1900

Maritime · 19th century

Belawan Harbour & Laborers – Sumatra, Indonesia - Kleingrothe Photogravure 1900

€ 230

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, circa 1900
Technique: Photogravure
Sheet size: 45 × 34 cm (17.7 × 13.4 in)
Reference: BG-05079-38

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 for age. Light age-toning and occasional foxing spots in the margins only. Image rich and crisp. Visible plate mark. No tears. Not framed.

About this sheet

Belawan Harbour & Laborers – 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 harbor for the Deli plantation economy—exporting tobacco, rubber, palm oil, and other commodities to international markets.

This large-format sheet features two harbor scenes. The upper view shows laborers on the dockside working around a moored steamship, illustrating the intense maritime logistics and reliance on manual labor. 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.

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.