Jong kind, vermoedelijk Else Wachenheimer-Moos, in kinderjurk met kort haar en met een ketting om haar nek, in een kinderstoel met daarop bevestigd bladeren 1870 - 1900

J. Reinhardt made this photograph of a young child, likely Else Wachenheimer-Moos, sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century. The child sits in a decorated chair, adorned with leaves and flowers in a way that seems staged, an aesthetic choice typical of studio portraiture at the time. The presence of the photographer's name and location at the bottom of the card—Reutlingen and Metzingen, Germany—hints at the burgeoning commercialization of photography. This was an era when photography studios arose to meet the demands of a growing middle class eager to capture and preserve their likenesses. The image speaks to the democratizing potential of photography, making portraiture accessible to families beyond the elite. Understanding the cultural and economic context of this image requires us to look to archives and other historical records. Through these resources, we can gain insight into the role of photography in shaping social identities and documenting everyday life.