Fotoreproductie van een schilderij van twee kinderen, met gedicht door J.J.L. ten Kate c. 1870 - 1890

This is a photographic reproduction of a painting of two children, accompanied by a poem by J.J.L. ten Kate. Though the artist remains anonymous, the work offers a glimpse into 19th-century Dutch culture. Oval in shape, the image captures two young girls dressed in white, their postures suggesting a tender, perhaps staged, moment of sisterly affection. It's impossible to ignore the complex layers of representation at play, from painting to photograph to print. The work invites us to consider the roles and representations of children, particularly girls, during this period, and how these images may have reinforced certain ideals of innocence and domesticity. The accompanying poem by ten Kate adds another layer, perhaps sentimentalizing or moralizing the scene. Though seemingly simple, this artwork speaks to larger questions about identity, representation, and the construction of childhood in the 19th century.