Portret van een baby op een balustrade en een staande kleuter 1884 - 1890

Johan Gerard Lubbers captured this small photograph of two young children, one seated on a balustrade and the other standing, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The image speaks to the Victorian era's fascination with childhood and innocence. The children, dressed in pristine white dresses, are posed in a way that emphasizes their youth and purity, yet they appear to look at us with an intense gaze. Consider how gender and class are subtly presented here. The careful styling of the children suggests a certain level of affluence, while their formal attire speaks to the social expectations placed on them, even at such a young age. The photograph freezes a moment in time, inviting us to reflect on the complex ways in which identity is shaped by societal norms and personal experiences.