Portret van vier onbekende kinderen c. 1870 - 1900

Jurre Daniels made this portrait of four unknown children as a cabinet card, a style of photograph that was widely popular from the 1860s into the early 20th century. This was a time of rapid industrialization and urbanization, which significantly changed social structures. Photography provided a new means to record and negotiate identity. The subjects, all boys, are dressed in clothes indicative of the late 19th century. Their attire and formal poses are signs of a certain level of economic stability. However, the slight unease in their expressions hints at the constructed nature of the image, perhaps reflecting the era's social expectations around masculinity and class. The photograph serves as a marker of identity for the family that commissioned it, as well as a reflection of the values and norms of the time. It prompts us to consider the ways in which photography can both capture and construct ideas about childhood, family, and social status.