Cephas' works on at Erasmus Huis

JAKARTA (JP): Rare photographs of people and daily life in the Yogyakarta Sultanates taken in the 18th century by noted Javanese photographers, Kassian Cephas and son Sem, will be on display for three weeks beginning on Wednesday.

Titled 'The Transfixed Spectator: Kassian Cephas, Pioneer of Photography', the photo exhibition at Erasmus Huis in Kuningan, South Jakarta, will display photographs of members of the royal family, theatrical performances and court ceremonies.

Works in the exhibition are drawn mainly from the photographic collection of the Royal Institute for Language, Land and Ethnology in Leiden.

Relating to the exhibition, a book titled 'Cephas, Yogyakarta: Photography in the service of the Sultan', was launched on June 11 at the Keraton (Palace) Yogyakarta.

Kassian Cephas died in 1912 at the age of 67. Six years later, Sam, who took over his father's profession, passed away at the age of 48.

Former Indonesian ambassador to Australia Sam Siagian will open the exhibition. (bsr)