Jonge vrouw met baby gewikkeld in doeken - Théodore van Lelyveld

A candid photographic study of a young mother holding her swaddled infant, captured by Dutch artist Théodore van Lelyveld.

This photographic study by Théodore van Lelyveld captures a quiet, domestic moment. The subject is a young woman cradling an infant, who is swaddled in light-coloured fabric. The woman wears a headscarf and a textured bodice, standing against a weathered, stone-like wall. The composition is simple, focusing on the interaction between mother and child. The image is presented within a grid-lined page, accompanied by the handwritten Dutch inscription, 'Het jonge moedertje' (The young mother).

Van Lelyveld, a Dutch artist and photographer, often documented scenes that reflect a gentle, observational approach to his subjects. His work frequently explores themes of daily life and human connection. The soft, sepia-toned quality of the print is characteristic of early twentieth-century photography, where the focus remained on natural light and the texture of the environment. The background, with its rough, uneven surface, provides a neutral contrast to the soft forms of the figures. This print offers a glimpse into the personal archives of the artist, preserved on the pages of a notebook or album. It functions as a candid record of a specific moment, stripped of formal staging. The grid paper background adds a sense of archival order, suggesting that this image was part of a larger collection or study of human subjects. The work remains a clear example of the documentary style prevalent during the period, prioritising the authenticity of the scene over elaborate composition or artifice.