Klein kind in een handkar 1899

This is an undated stereograph by Geldolph Adriaan Kessler portraying a young child in a handcart. During Kessler’s time, photography was increasingly used to document and reinforce social norms, especially concerning childhood and family. This image captures a scene of children in what appears to be a leisurely, upper-class setting, reflecting the period's emphasis on childhood innocence and the protective role of adults, typically women. However, the very construction of such images reveals power dynamics, dictating what is deemed worthy of representation. The children are formally posed, suggesting a staged moment rather than an organic one. Consider how gender and class intersect in this image. The children's clothing and the presence of what might be a caretaker indicate a certain level of privilege. The photograph invites us to reflect on the lives and experiences of those not typically seen in such idealized representations of childhood. The emotional distance created by the formal composition prompts us to question the narratives we construct around childhood and identity.