Portret van een baby in doopjurk 1895 - 1940

Charls & Van Es made this photograph of a baby in a christening gown with a small camera and photographic paper. The practice of photographing babies in their christening robes became popular in the late 19th century with the rise of commercial photography. Baptism is a Christian sacrament of purification and initiation and the white robe is symbolic of purity and new life. While this photograph is ostensibly a sentimental record of religious devotion, it is also an artifact of burgeoning consumer culture. In order to understand photography, it is necessary to look into the histories of photographic studios and the photographic industry. Research into how baptism was understood at the time this photograph was made may also be useful. This helps us understand the cultural and institutional contexts that give it meaning.