This photograph shows the ruins of a Javanese-Hindu temple within the complex of the Candi Prambanan (also known as Candi Lara Jonggrang), a Borobudur associated site built in the 9th century. It is situated approximately 20 kilometres from Yogyakarta. The motifs on the exterior of the temple are distinctly Javanese, even though the temples follow the Indian architectural model. The three main temples within the compound are dedicated to the Hindu Trinity, comprising the Hindu deities Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. This photograph is part of a portfolio containing an extensive photographic survey detailing the Candi Prambanan, as well as the sculptured relief narrating the Hindu epic tale, the ‘Ramayana’. It was compiled by Dr. Isaac Groneman, a Dutch scholar of Javanese history and culture. He was assisted by pioneer Indonesian photographer Kassian Cephas, who was responsible for the pictorial documentation during the excavation of the site from 1889 to 1890.
