[Group Portrait of Four Women and Three Children] 1850s - 1860s

This is a photographic group portrait of four women and three children, made by Franz Antoine. It’s a lovely example of the kinds of images that were becoming popular as photography democratized portraiture, specifically within the middle classes of the mid-19th century. What I find interesting is how this image creates meaning through its visual codes, cultural references, and historical associations. It was made in Austria. We can tell from their clothing that these individuals were of a certain social standing. The women's elaborate dresses and the children's neat attire indicate a level of affluence and attention to social presentation. The setting, seemingly an exterior rustic backdrop, might suggest a staged attempt to connect with nature, a common theme in bourgeois portraiture of this era. To understand this image better, we might research photographic practices in 19th-century Austria, or study the fashions and social customs of the middle class at the time. By looking at photographs like this, we can better understand the relationship between artistic creation and social context.