Familieportret 1908 - 1912

This photograph by Sugiolini depicts a family portrait. Family portraits are particularly interesting to cultural historians. They are visual statements about values and class aspirations. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, photography became more accessible to the middle classes, providing a powerful tool to express their identity. We can see here how the sitters chose to present themselves, their clothes are modest but fashionable, and their poses are restrained, denoting their status. The circular format and muted tones create a sense of timelessness. The setting is a photographic studio, a place of self-fashioning. The historian might dig into the Sugiolini archive to understand the studio’s clientele. How did photography shape social relations and self-perception in this period? Family portraits offer us a rich field for exploring the history of everyday life.