Groepsportret van negen personen, onder wie Aletta Cornelia Anna Voombergh (1828-1913), de moeder van de fotograaf 1906

This group portrait was taken by Henry Pauw van Wieldrecht, probably sometime around the turn of the century. I’m immediately drawn to the formality of the photo—the stiff poses and the elaborate outfits. It makes me wonder about the dynamic between the photographer and his subjects, especially since the older woman in the center is his mother. I wonder if she had any say in how the photo was composed. Look at the girl in the lower right corner. She seems a little detached, sitting slightly apart from the rest of the group. I bet she hated posing for photos! And what about the baby perched precariously on the lap of the woman in the fancy hat? All that lace must have been itchy. I imagine everyone trying to hold still and look pleasant while secretly itching, fidgeting, and thinking about what they’d rather be doing. It's like they are stuck there for all eternity and, for some reason, they all seem so sad!