Portret van een onbekende baby 1880 - 1900

This sepia photograph by Ch. Julien captures an unknown baby, likely dating back to the late 19th century. The child's white dress, a symbol of purity and innocence, is a motif we see repeated across time in portraits of infants. Consider the broader cultural context: the emphasis on childhood innocence emerged strongly during the Victorian era. The dress is a visual echo of baptismal gowns. The somewhat unsettling direct gaze evokes a sense of vulnerability and invites viewers to project their own emotions and memories onto this blank slate. The child's wide eyes seem to absorb everything. This act of beholding has resurfaced time and time again. The very act of capturing an image—freezing a moment in time—speaks to a deep-seated human desire to preserve memory, to hold onto what is fleeting. This photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the universal experience of infancy and the passage of time, echoing through generations.