Invisible Mother

This lovely ambrotype (in a union case) dates back to the 1850’s or 1860’s. The exposure times for an ambrotype varied depending on the lighting and the speed of the camera lens, sometimes requiring as much as 60 seconds. This is an important factor to keep in mind with regard to this picture – how to keep a baby still for that amount of time? This dilemma gave rise to what are referred to as the invisible or hidden mother portraits. If you look closely at this photograph, that artfully draped piece of fabric is actually covering the body of a mother (or perhaps a nanny) who is there to steady the child. Often the ghostly shapes in the background were matted out of the photo. There are many examples of invisible or hidden mothers on-line – have fun looking for those who were meant to be unseen!