Portret van drie onbekende kinderen before 1920

Editor: Here we have an interesting daguerreotype, a photograph titled "Portret van drie onbekende kinderen," or "Portrait of Three Unknown Children," created by Victor Alexandre Georges de Lapersonne sometime before 1920. It’s a bit faded, but I'm struck by the formal posing of the children, and especially by their clothes. What catches your eye about it? Curator: I’m immediately thinking about the role of photography in constructing social identity in that era. Before mass photography, portraits were primarily for the elite. This daguerreotype, while seemingly simple, represents a shift in how families, even those of more modest means, could participate in visual self-representation. Editor: So, having this portrait taken was a way to signal something about their status or aspirations? Curator: Precisely. The careful posing and attire suggest an attempt to present a particular image to the world – perhaps aspirations for upward mobility, respectability, or even mimicking the aesthetics of the aristocracy. The sailor suit, for example, was a popular fashion statement reflecting a fascination with maritime power and exploration at the time. But it’s “unknown,” as the title suggests. What do you make of that? Editor: Maybe it reflects how identities get lost to history. The photograph survives, but their stories haven’t. I hadn't considered the class implications of early photography before. Thanks! Curator: A pleasure. It serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities embedded within even the seemingly simplest of images and offers clues about public art consumption at the time.