Portret van vermoedelijk Truitje van Wijk als baby met haar moeder Possibly 1910 - 1924

This is a portrait likely made by Albert Greiner, but the exact date remains unknown. The monochrome image depicts a woman with a baby, likely made with the 19th-century photographic techniques. At first glance, one notices the composition's vertical orientation, emphasizing the figures' height and formality. The mother’s dark dress contrasts with the baby's light-colored clothing, creating a visual focus on the child. Greiner uses the interplay of light and shadow to define shapes and textures, yet the overall tonal range is subdued, lending a sense of solemnity. The photograph functions within a semiotic system where clothing and pose serve as signs. The structured attire of the mother signals social status and respectability, while the baby’s presentation speaks to innocence and purity. Yet, the photograph, as a medium, also subtly destabilizes traditional portraiture, making it more accessible and reproducible. The tonal subtlety captures a moment that transcends mere documentation, inviting ongoing interpretation of its cultural and emotional values.