Statuette van echtpaar met kind c. 1852

This albumen print of a statuette by Eduard Isaac Asser presents a scene of familial harmony. The photograph, though small, captures a tableau of a couple with their child, rendered in muted sepia tones that soften the contours and give it an antique feel. The composition is dominated by the triangular arrangement of the figures, which lends a sense of stability and classical balance. Formally, the photograph presents a structure that reinforces traditional notions of family. However, the very act of photographing a sculpture introduces layers of mediation. It is not the direct experience of the sculpture, but a representation of it, mediated through light, shadow, and the choices made by Asser. The photograph as an object also raises interesting questions about representation and reproduction. It allows for the dissemination of the sculptural form, challenging the unique aura of the artwork and opening it up to a broader audience, a topic extensively explored by Walter Benjamin in his writings on art and mechanical reproduction. The statuette thus becomes an object of contemplation, not only for its artistic merit but also for its role in a larger discourse on art, reproduction, and accessibility.