Close-ups
Framed and on the wall
Frame and rooms are illustrations of how the print could look, drawn to its real size; it is sold unframed unless the description says otherwise.
Towns and Landscapes
Kesawan Street from North, Medan, Dutch East Indies, Antique Photogravure c.1900
£200
$270 · €240
Original print, not a reproduction
Ships worldwide from the Netherlands, insured and tracked. 14-day returns.
- Date
- 1900
- Sheet size
- 13.4 × 17.7 in (34 × 45 cm)
- Condition
- Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Very good for age. Sheet shows light handling marks, mild spotting in margins and faint age toning, mainly outside image area. Image itself clean and richly printed. Please refer to photos.
- Island
- Sumatra
- Collection
- Towns and Landscapes
- Period
- Netherlands Indies, 1850 and after
- Stock no.
- f_47666192
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.
Kesawan Street from North, Medan, Kleingrothe Photogravure c.1900
A rare original photogravure by pioneering Sumatran photographer C.J. Kleingrothe, depicting the historic commercial heart of Medan around the turn of the 20th century. The scene captures Kesawan Street viewed from the north, the elegant façade of prominent colonial-era shop houses, horse-drawn carriages, and early electric lighting suspended above the road. This district became the economic center of Deli following the success of the tobacco and plantation industry, making this image a valuable visual record of Medan’s rapid urban development.
Kleingrothe (1864 to 1925) is celebrated for his photographic documentation of Sumatra’s architecture, industries, landscapes, and peoples. This fine photogravure was produced in Medan and printed on heavy wove paper, retaining its wide original margins. A strong, detailed impression with excellent tonal range.
A highly collectible work for enthusiasts of Indonesian history, colonial architecture, and early photography.
Very good for age. Sheet shows light handling marks, mild spotting in margins and faint age toning, mainly outside image area. Image itself clean and richly printed. Please refer to photos.
Framing Suggestions:
A dark wood or black frame with a warm white archival mat will enhance the sepia tones and architectural detail. Ideal for display in study, office, hallway, or a themed gallery wall of Southeast Asian heritage.
Technique: photogravure
Maker: C.J. Kleingrothe, Medan, circa 1900
