Kittens in een mand 1860 - 1900

Harry Pointer created this photograph titled ‘Kittens in een mand’, which translates as Kittens in a Basket, using photographic methods in the late 19th century. During this era, photography studios arose in Europe and America, fostering a market in portraiture and the mass production of images. Here, Pointer presents a sentimental image of vulnerable, dependent creatures, thus appealing to a public that was increasingly concerned with domesticity and the nuclear family. How should we consider the role of this photograph in the Victorian era when it was made? In Britain, the mass production of printed images was driven by innovations in technology, and in this photograph, Pointer took full advantage of these technological advances. It shows the extent to which new technology can reinforce existing tastes and generate new markets. We can research this further, looking at archival materials from that time.