In the Victorian era, photographic exposure times were slow. Therefore, those that posed for portraits had to be perfectly still for as long as half a minute. Photographing children, that squirmed, blinked and were startled by flash, was particularly difficult. Mothers would conceal themselves under fabric and pose as chairs and backdrops to keep their children still and content. Although this is a practical solution to obtaining an autonomous image of a child, it also speaks to the multitude of roles woman have historically inhabited. Relinquishing identity, viewing themselves as not of sufficient value, having no voice, submissive in family and community are a few of the many emotional spaces women occupy. Rarely in the forefront, women then and now continue to relinquish pieces and parts of their identities and presence for those they love. The contemporary mothers in these portraits bravely honor mothers of the past and sit strongly with their children despite their hidden identities.

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To view the original 19th century images, Google image search “Hidden Mothers”.