Portret van een zittende baby en een staand meisje met pop in de hand 1880 - 1905

This photographic print of a seated baby and standing girl holding a doll was made by Herman Salzwedel. Looking at this image, we might first think about it as a sweet depiction of childhood. But it is just as important to consider the labor involved in its making. Photography in this era was a chemically intensive process, one that demanded specialized knowledge and equipment. The photographer needed to be not only an artist, but also a skilled technician. Beyond the photographer, we can imagine the work of the paper mill, the chemical manufacturers, and the transportation networks that brought these materials together. And of course, the labor involved in the children’s clothing: the spinning of the thread, the weaving of the fabric, the cutting and sewing of the garments. Considering all of this helps us to see the photograph not just as a simple image, but as the product of a complex web of human effort, one that touches on questions of industrial production, class, and consumption.