Moeder en kind door Robert Cauer 1850 - 1900

This photograph from the 19th century depicts Robert Cauer’s sculpture, ‘Mother and Child’. Through photography, the image is made accessible to a wider public. What was the public role of this art? Motherhood was a loaded idea in 19th century Europe. On the one hand, the so-called 'cult of domesticity' idealized the mother figure as the moral center of the family. On the other, industrialization demanded that women, particularly from the working classes, join the workforce. How do the formal elements of this piece contribute to the image of motherhood? The soft lighting and muted color palette create a tender and intimate atmosphere. The figures are idealized. The mother has classical features while the baby is plump and cherubic. To better understand this image, we might consult periodicals and advice manuals to understand contemporary debates about motherhood. It’s through that kind of social-historical research that we can really understand this photograph.