View of the Tengger Mountains, East Java, Rare Java Landscape Lithograph, 1872

View of the Tengger Mountains, East Java, Rare Java Landscape Lithograph, 1872

This expansive and finely detailed chromolithograph presents a panoramic view of the Tengger Mountains in the eastern corner of Java. It is plate number 22 from the important 19th-century folio Java, naar schilderijen en teekeningen van A. Salm, based on the original works by Abram Salm and lithographed by J.C. Greive Jr., published in Amsterdam by Frans Buffa & Zonen around 1872.

The view unfolds across a wide, undulating mountain landscape, rendered in natural hues of green, brown, and violet-gray. Nestled in the foreground is a tidy row of traditional thatched-roof houses, likely part of a local Tenggerese settlement. The scene is observed from a slightly elevated perspective, allowing the viewer to take in both the sweeping range of hills and the narrow paths and cultivated terraces running through the valley below.

A plume of smoke gently rises in the distance, possibly from a still-active volcano, signaling the geological dynamism of the region. The light across the mountains is clear and soft, suggesting early morning or late afternoon, and the sky is painted in delicate pastel tones that evoke a calm, open atmosphere.

This plate is a striking example of Abram Salm’s skill in combining natural grandeur with ethnographic precision. The Tengger highlands, known for their cooler climate and unique Hindu-Buddhist culture, were relatively isolated in the colonial period, and Salm’s images of this region remain among the earliest and most valuable visual records. Greive’s lithography captures every subtle contour and shadow, and the hand-applied coloring enhances the richness of the terrain and vegetation.

This is an exceptional choice for collectors interested in volcanic geography, historical Indonesian landscapes, or 19th-century travel art that bridges scientific observation and aesthetic refinement.

Condition report:

This print is in good to very good condition. The central image is bright and well-preserved with excellent detail. The wide margins show light to moderate foxing, which is typical for the age and paper type. The printed title ticket remains intact in the lower right.

Framing suggestion:

To emphasize the clarity and breadth of this mountainous view, choose a wide archival mat in a warm white or stone gray tone. A dark teak, walnut, or black wood frame will create a strong contrast with the earthy tones of the print. UV-protective museum glass is recommended to protect the delicate surface and hand-applied coloring.

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...