Portret van een meisje met ketting en muts 1860 - 1890

This is a small photograph titled ‘Portret van een meisje met ketting en muts,’ or ‘Portrait of a Girl with Necklace and Hat,’ by Ludovisi y su señora. The photograph captures a young girl in what appears to be formal attire. She wears a dark dress with puffed sleeves and a beaded necklace. To her left, a table draped with fabric holds a hat. This piece invites us to reflect on childhood, and the performative aspects of identity as they develop from a young age. The girl’s serious expression suggests a complex inner life and perhaps the weight of societal expectations, even at a tender age. The work reflects broader societal issues related to representation, memory, and the gaze. The small dimensions and the seemingly domestic setting also suggest an intimacy, a moment captured and preserved. It resonates with a sense of personal history, echoing the lives and experiences of girls across different eras.