Gertrude Käsebier (American, 1852 – 1934), 1899, The Manger (Ideal Motherhood), Platinum print, 32.5 × 23.7 cm (12 13/16 × 9 5/16 in.)
The most effective portrait in my opinion is The Manger (Ideal Motherhood), by Gertrude Käsebier. This image is that of a mother holding her baby whilst seated in a wooden structure of some sort, possibly a manger. She is situated in the center of the image. She is wearing a white gown with a veil flowing from the top of her dark hair down to the end of her white gown. Behind her is a window casting a soft light from behind her, hitting the left side of her figure, lighting up her transparent veil and white gown. This image is especially effective to me as it captures a very real moment between mother and child. She is looking caringly down at her child admiring it as any mother would do. This realness and candidness of the image is what really caught my attention. Image aside, the title of the image also caught my attention. When this image is paired with a title like, The Manger (Ideal Motherhood), it immediately think of something biblical. It seems like this could be a reference to the story of Mary and baby Jesus when they were in the manger.