Familieportret met moeder, vader en kind 1892

This family portrait was produced as a photograph by the Cohen Brothers, sometime in the late nineteenth century in the Netherlands. The family’s formal dress speaks to the rise of a prosperous middle class. In a time of rapid social and economic change, industrialization, and the rise of large urban centers, the family took on a sentimental aura. The image shows a mother seated, holding an infant, with the father standing protectively behind. The family’s clothing and the brick wall background indicate both social status and a degree of upward mobility. In this period, family portraits became increasingly popular among middle-class families who sought to emulate the customs of the aristocracy. Photography studios emerged to meet this demand, offering affordable portraits that could be displayed at home. Further research into the Cohen Brothers studio might tell us more about its clientele and its role in shaping visual representations of family life in the Netherlands.