Portret van een twee meisjes in jurken met een pop c. 1862 - 1900

This small photograph by Albert Greiner captures two young girls in dresses, one holding a doll. The doll, a ubiquitous symbol of childhood, carries within it layers of cultural meaning. Across time, dolls have served as more than mere toys; they are stand-ins for human relationships, embodying our nurturing instincts. Consider the ancient Egyptian burial dolls or the Roman rag dolls, each reflecting a longing to replicate and understand the human form and spirit. The doll here, clutched tightly, mirrors countless depictions of infants held by madonnas throughout Renaissance art, a visual echo of protection and innocence. The act of embracing a doll evokes a potent, primal connection to our own vulnerability and mortality. It is through such gestures that we find a cyclical progression, continually seeking comfort in the symbols of our past. These resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.