Cuzco Children 1948

Irving Penn made this gelatin silver print, Cuzco Children, with techniques he developed in his New York studio. Penn’s work intersects with a long history of representing colonized peoples for Western audiences. Taken in Cuzco, Peru, this image reflects the region’s complex social hierarchy. The children’s clothing suggests their indigenous background, yet the formal composition, with the children leaning on an ornate table, evokes traditional European portraiture. Penn's photographs highlight the tension between cultural preservation and Western influence. To understand this work fully, it's important to consider the history of photography as a tool of ethnographic documentation and the power dynamics inherent in representing other cultures. Research into the colonial history of Peru and the role of photography in shaping perceptions of indigenous peoples provides vital context. Penn’s photograph becomes a lens through which we can examine the politics of representation and the enduring legacy of colonialism.