Portret van een onbekend kind 1862 - 1864

Adrien Tournachon captured this portrait of an unknown child using photography, a medium still in its relative infancy. Consider the history of portraiture. Before photography, portraits were the domain of the wealthy. But photography democratized image-making, offering new possibilities across class lines. While we don’t know the identity of this child, the formal composition gives us some hints about her social standing. Seated formally with a stern gaze, she’s dressed in a pristine white dress. The adjacent flowers add to this image of childlike innocence. The image evokes the Victorian ideals of childhood, with its emphasis on purity and discipline. What does it mean to have a portrait taken? This image captures a moment in time. It allows us to reflect on the lives of those who came before us, and perhaps see ourselves in their faces. It invites us to remember and to imagine.