Portret van een kind met pet bij een kar 1860 - 1874

This small photograph captures a child with a cap next to a cart, and was created by the IJpma Brothers. Looking at the image, one can immediately feel transported back to the late 19th or early 20th century in the Netherlands, a time when photography was becoming more accessible. The child's formal attire and the presence of the cart hint at a middle-class background. The IJpma Brothers, as photographers, were part of a growing industry that helped shape how people saw themselves and their society. This image also speaks to the growing importance of childhood as a distinct phase of life. The care taken in posing and dressing the child suggests a desire to capture and preserve a specific moment in their life. This might reflect changing attitudes towards family and the role of children within it. To fully understand this photograph, we would want to explore the history of photography in the Netherlands, family portraiture, and the social history of childhood. These resources would give us a deeper insight into its meaning and significance.