Portret van een meisje met schep 1890 - 1908

This photograph, "Portret van een meisje met schep," was taken by Henricus Jacobus Tollens. The sepia print is modest in size, yet rich in the texture of its subject matter, inviting us to consider the social context it captures. Focusing on the material, the photograph itself is a product of a complex chemical process, recorded on paper. Here we see a young girl, likely from a well-to-do family, holding a spade that seems too large for her small hands. The spade is a tool of labor, of the earth, connecting her to the toils of those who work the land. But here, the tool is staged, a prop within the photograph’s frame, suggesting a playful engagement with the realities of labor. The girl’s dress and boots are carefully chosen, signs of a comfortable upbringing, distinct from the labor implied by the spade. By considering these elements of material culture, we understand photography, not just as a fine art, but as a record of social class and the staged performance of childhood.