Groepsportret van Euphrosine Asser-Oppenheim met haar broers en haar zuster Elisa Beer-Oppenheim 1856

This photograph is a group portrait of Euphrosine Asser-Oppenheim with her brothers and sister Elisa Beer-Oppenheim, made by Eduard Isaac Asser. As a carte-de-visite photograph, it reflects the 19th-century rise of portraiture amongst the middle classes. During this time the Jewish community in the Netherlands experienced greater social integration and legal rights, yet still navigated complex questions of identity and belonging. Here we see Euphrosine and Elisa dressed in the fashions of the time, but it’s the intimate details of their expressions that capture our attention, as well as Euphrosine holding what appears to be an orange. These offer us a glimpse into the sitters’ personal lives. Eduard Asser was himself part of this family, allowing for a unique dynamic between artist and subject. The photograph then acts as both a preservation of familial ties and a statement of cultural identity during a period of significant social change. It invites us to consider the nuanced ways in which personal and communal histories are intertwined.