Portret van een moeder met baby op schoot 1880 - 1904

Antonius Johannes Delboy captured this image of a mother and child in the late 19th century, a period when photography was transforming social representation. Looking at this image, it is not just a personal memento; it's also a cultural artifact reflecting the values and norms of the time in the Netherlands. The formal pose, the mother's attire, and even the way she holds her child, all speak to the importance of family and domesticity in that era. The rise of photography coincided with significant social changes. The emerging middle class sought ways to represent themselves and their values. Family portraits became a means of displaying social status and preserving familial bonds. The very act of commissioning a photograph suggests an engagement with modernity and the desire to participate in shaping visual culture. By studying photographs like these alongside other historical documents—census records, fashion magazines, and family letters—we gain insights into the complex interplay between art, society, and individual experience.