Vrouw met twee peuters met dezelfde kleding en petten, waarschijnlijk de tweeling Ad en Johanna van der Kop en hun moeder W.G. Hoogendijk after 1901

This photograph, made by Willem Carel van der Kop, captures a mother with her two toddlers, likely twins, all dressed in matching sailor outfits and hats. It's a sweet moment, preserved in tones of brown and cream. There’s a formality to the image, which is softened by the outdoor setting and the children's expressions. The mother, seated, has a knowing look, while the children seem caught between curiosity and composure. I can almost feel the slight blur of movement, the impossibility of holding everything perfectly still. Look at the way the light catches the edges of their clothing, giving a sense of depth to the scene. It reminds me of the quiet, domestic scenes of Vuillard, where the everyday becomes imbued with a certain tenderness. These kinds of old photographs, they aren't just documents, they are little portals into another time, another way of being.