Child with Drum
1854
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1854
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Child with Drum is a 1854 by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A small child in a dark dress stands stiffly, holding a toy drum and drumsticks. The photo is black-and-white, sharp enough to see the buttons on the child’s shoes. This is a daguerreotype—an early kind of photo made on a silver-plated sheet. The photographer had to keep the child still for minutes, so the pose feels formal. The drum might hint at patriotism, but the kid just looks bored. If you like old photos of kids, look up more examples of the subject: america.
