Portret van een meisje met pop 1857 - 1898

P. Siewers & Zoon created this photograph of a girl with a doll sometime in the late 19th century. The small size of the portrait suggests it was made to be kept and carried, a token of affection. During the Victorian era, childhood became increasingly sentimentalized. This portrait seems to capture that sentimentality, but if you look closer, the girl’s expression seems almost confrontational. The doll she clutches was likely meant to instill maternal instincts, yet here we are left to wonder if the sitter feels trapped by the expectations being placed on her. Photographs like this offer a window into the private lives and emotional landscapes of those often left out of official historical narratives. They allow us to reflect on the shifting sands of childhood and gender.