Portret van een naakte baby 1876 - 1906

F. Meeus-Verbeke made this photograph of a nude baby sometime around the turn of the 20th century. Such images became increasingly common as photography became more accessible, and the rising middle class sought ways to document and display their growing families. Here, the formal pose and oval frame elevate a simple snapshot to the realm of art, mimicking the conventions of painted portraiture. In many ways, this portrait reflects a shift in societal attitudes towards childhood. As the nuclear family became the basic economic unit of society, children were seen as innocent and precious, worthy of protection and care. Yet it also perpetuates certain social norms around beauty, innocence, and perhaps even class, given the trappings of wealth in the patterned cushion on which the child sits. To fully understand this image, we might delve into the history of photography, as well as the history of childhood. By considering the social and cultural context in which it was made, we can begin to unpack the many layers of meaning embedded within this seemingly simple image.