Portret van een zittende baby in witte jurk 1891 - 1912

This small photographic print of a seated baby in a white dress was made by Friedrich Carel Hisgen. The sepia tones give the image a soft, dreamlike quality, blurring the distinction between the baby and the background. Look at the texture of the fur the baby is sitting on; it’s almost as if the baby is emerging from a cloud, a gentle, amorphous shape. This recalls the way a child’s identity is formed, a process of becoming and defining oneself against a background of possibilities. I wonder if this image was a study for a larger work, or maybe just a memento. Either way, the simplicity and directness of the image reminds me of the work of Gertrude Käsebier, another photographer who captured the essence of childhood with such sensitivity. Art always speaks to art, creating echoes through time.