Portret van een zittende baby 1883 - 1910

Editor: This photograph, "Portret van een zittende baby," from between 1883 and 1910 by Johannes Laurens Theodorus Huijsen, is a gelatin silver print. I'm immediately struck by the child's serious expression. What kind of commentary can we extract from a simple baby portrait? Curator: It’s easy to dismiss it as merely sentimental, but consider the historical context. This portrait, likely commissioned by the family, reflects evolving bourgeois notions of childhood during a period of rapid industrialization and the burgeoning social sciences. How did class structure influence even the way babies were portrayed? Editor: So you’re suggesting the portrait isn't just about capturing likeness but about performing a certain social identity? Curator: Precisely. Photography democratized portraiture but it also served as a tool for solidifying class distinctions. The child's pose, the clothing, even the backdrop, construct a narrative of respectability and domesticity. Editor: That makes me think about how photography then, much like social media now, can be used to craft an idealized image of oneself and one’s family. Curator: Yes, exactly. And what’s not shown in the portrait is just as significant. Who is absent? What labor went into producing the props and clothing? Exploring the unsaid is key. Do you think portraiture always excludes as much as it includes? Editor: I suppose so. We often only see a highly curated fragment of reality. It feels much more critical now, thanks to that contextualization, to think about the layers of social and historical pressures. Curator: Exactly! It’s through this kind of intersectional analysis that we can unearth the power dynamics embedded within seemingly simple images, enriching our understanding of art and society. Editor: This has given me a much broader perspective on portraiture. Thanks so much.