Portret van een peuter met een pop c. 1905 - 1915

Here's a small photographic print, "Portret van een peuter met een pop," made by B. Knopper in Amsterdam. It’s funny to think about how this photograph came into being—I imagine Knopper setting up the shot, trying to capture this toddler in just the right light and pose. I can’t help but imagine what it must have been like for the toddler. The clothing must have felt strange and unfamiliar. And this pop! Is it soft, cuddly, and comforting, or strange and unfamiliar like the clothes? The photograph is so small and precious! It's almost like a miniature painting with its limited tonal range, and that one small gesture with the pop communicates a feeling of uncertainty, or maybe even comfort. Looking at this photo makes me think about other photographers of the time, all in conversation with one another, each inspired to capture something unique. It reminds us that every picture tells a story, and every artist leaves a piece of themselves behind.