Untitled (Portrait of a Woman with Two Girls) 1846

This is an anonymous portrait of a woman with two girls made with the daguerreotype process, likely from the mid-19th century. The sitters are formally arranged, yet there's an undeniable intimacy in their close proximity. What does it mean to be seen, and who gets to do the seeing? Photography during this period was increasingly accessible, yet portraiture remained a privilege, often reflecting the sitter's class and social standing. Consider the gaze of the woman: is it defiant, melancholic, or simply resigned to the era's photographic conventions? These early photographic processes often involved long exposure times, demanding stillness that could feel like a performance. Do you think the woman and girls were conscious of the image they were presenting? In a society that idealized domesticity and female virtue, this portrait could be seen as a carefully constructed representation of familial bonds. It is at once a historical artifact and a deeply personal reflection of identity.