Familie aan tafel before 1894

This is an undated photograph titled "Familie aan tafel" by Hendrik Herman van den Berg. The sepia tones and the arrangement of figures evoke a sense of bourgeois formality and familial hierarchy. Van den Berg’s composition invites a semiotic reading: the seated figures are arranged around a table, a clear signifier of domesticity. The table covering, with its dense floral pattern, introduces a layer of complexity. Note how the artist has used contrasting tones to define each figure, imbuing them with a distinct presence. The figures are placed deliberately to create a sense of depth, the artist engages with formal techniques that invite us to consider questions of class and representation. This seemingly simple family portrait becomes a tableau of societal roles, a discourse around tradition and representation.