This photograph shows a relief sculpture mounted on the walls of the Hindu- Javanese Candi Prambanan, which houses three main temples dedicated to the worship of the Hindu deities of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The seated figure in the middle resembles a Bodhisattva, which speaks of the influence of Buddhism as an alternative religion that existed and flourished alongside Hinduism in Java at that time. The sculptures share the same characteristics and features as special Hindu divinities. Followers in groups of threes can be seen on either side, but they appear to recede into the background. This photograph is part of a portfolio containing an extensive photographic survey detailing the Candi Prambanan. It was compiled by Dr. Isaac Groneman, a 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.
