Portret van drie meisjes 1870 - 1897

Lodewijk Hendrikus Serré's photograph presents three young girls, one holding a basket of flowers, a symbol deeply entwined with themes of youth and innocence. This motif is not new; we see it echo through centuries, from Botticelli's Primavera, where Flora scatters blossoms, to depictions of maiden saints offering floral tributes. The basket itself, overflowing with nature's bounty, harkens back to ancient cornucopias, symbols of prosperity and fertility. Yet, within this Victorian context, it takes on a more nuanced meaning. Here, the flowers hint at the transient nature of beauty, a poignant reminder of mortality in an era marked by high child mortality rates. The girls' somber expressions, combined with the flowers, evoke a bittersweet emotion—a celebration of life shadowed by the inevitable passage of time, engaging our subconscious with a powerful, if understated, message. This photograph encapsulates the cyclical dance between joy and sorrow, a timeless theme that continues to resonate across the ages.