Twee portretten van een onbekende vrouw en een kind die woede en spot tonen before 1890

Curator: Here we have a rather curious albumen print. The title given is "Two Portraits of an Unknown Woman and a Child Showing Anger and Mockery." It’s dated before 1890 and attributed to an anonymous hand. Editor: Wow, it's like looking at stills from a really unsettling silent film. The expressions are so dramatic, almost theatrical, but in miniature. The child… she’s absolutely radiating disdain! Curator: Exactly! The entire purpose of these prints was linked to documenting and classifying human emotions in the late 19th century, an attempt at a sort of visual psychology. These images weren’t intended as art necessarily, but rather as scientific documentation. Editor: So, the expressions were probably posed or elicited by the photographer? Curator: More than likely. We must remember that photography in this era had complex relations with scientific positivism and a fascination with using photographs as supposedly objective, unimpeachable proof. But let's be honest; such expressions were very culturally constructed, especially when capturing "feminine emotions." Editor: That’s it; you stole the thought from my head. I feel a pinch of...manipulation behind that curated moment, and wonder about its role within society as it presents very specific readings and control over behavior and expression. It looks innocent. It's a dangerous power move to set such standard... But you know what, the texture, and the fact it’s stuck in an old album - this tiny drama frozen in time adds an interesting layer of mystery! What happened outside the frame of their play? Curator: Well said! I also believe such photographs present critical resources for contemplating changing socio-cultural expectations from children and the so-called "woman's proper role." Editor: True. And it prompts me to explore what kind of emotional landscapes they moved through outside these carefully captured—or maybe forcefully composed—images. I love its ghosty sense. Curator: Precisely, it's like a visual relic hinting at broader societal debates that continue to impact us now. Editor: Okay, now I'm haunted. Thanks.