Twee spelende kinderen Possibly 1861 - 1869

Alfred Silvester created this stereoscopic image, “Twee spelende kinderen” - or "Two Playing Children" - using albumen silver print, a popular photographic process during the mid-19th century. Stereoscopic images like this were all the rage in the Victorian Era. They offered a mesmerizing, almost 3D glimpse into worlds both real and imagined. The children here are draped in playful costumes. One child is partially obscured by a light blue sheet-like material, while the other poses with a toy sword. This image, likely staged, speaks to the era’s understanding of childhood as a time of innocence and play, while also revealing the constructed nature of identity itself. The costumes and props suggest an imaginative world, yet the formality of the photographic process reminds us of the societal expectations placed upon children, even in moments of play. The image leaves you with the question of how we perform our identities, even from a young age.