Portret van een jongen in matrozenpak met hoepel in de hand 1880 - 1887

This is a photograph, likely dating to the late 19th or early 20th century, made at the Atelier Herz. The image is a simple portrait of a young boy in a sailor suit, holding a hoop. The photographic process itself is key here. These kinds of images were made possible by advances in chemistry and optics, but also by a growing culture of consumerism. Photography studios like Atelier Herz offered a service, catering to a desire for personal mementos and social documentation. The sailor suit, too, speaks to industrial production and a culture of childhood that was increasingly shaped by manufactured goods. Consider the labor involved: from the factory workers who produced the photographic materials and the boy’s clothing, to the photographer who posed the child and developed the print. In a seemingly simple image, we see a convergence of technology, fashion, and social practice, all underpinned by the burgeoning forces of industrial capitalism. Thinking about this context helps us to look past the image itself, and reflect on the layers of making that constitute its deeper meaning.