Portret van een man, een baby en twee vrouwen, de één in een jurk, de ander met een muts 1879

This is an undated portrait of a man, a baby, and two women by Carl Wilhelm Bauer, printed on carte-de-visite. The sepia tones and composition create a sense of formal austerity, typical of its time. Arranged against a dark backdrop, the subjects are rigidly posed; the man stands tall in a dark suit and the women are in elaborate dresses. The textural details, from the ruffles of the woman’s dress to the crispness of the white bonnets, are meticulously captured. This attention to detail reflects the conventions of 19th-century portraiture, where clarity and precision served to convey status and respectability. The photograph operates as a system of signs, where clothing, pose, and even the quality of the print contribute to constructing the social identities of the subjects. The photograph, in its structured composition and tonal range, tells a story of societal roles and familial bonds. It invites viewers to interpret the complex interplay of representation, identity, and the evolving technologies of image-making.