Portret van een peuter 1892 - 1906

This is a portrait of a toddler by Machiel Hendricus Laddé, a Dutch photographer active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At the time this image was made, the rigid formality in portraiture reflected the strict social norms and class consciousness of the era. The child, dressed in an elaborate white dress and matching bonnet, appears almost doll-like, embodying the Victorian ideal of childhood innocence. These performative displays were very much part of how families wanted to present themselves. Consider the cultural expectations placed on children, particularly regarding gender. In many ways, images like this reinforced the idea of children as miniature adults, reflecting society's aspirations and anxieties about the future. As you observe this image, think about how it fits into, or perhaps challenges, our contemporary understandings of childhood identity and representation.