Large numbers of photographic portraits become available in the late 19th century. In part this was a reflection of the declining cost of a photographic portrait. HBC believes that the increasing prposperity of America and Europe also meant that there were increasing numbers of family that could aford instrumental lessons for their children. Given the age of the boys being taught to play instruments, most would be dressed in kneepants suits for recitals or portraits. Often large floppy bows would be added. Sailor suits, usually with kneepants, appear to have been popular choices. Interestingly, relatively few boys appear to have worn Fauntleroy suits. Perhaps age was a factor.
Boys have taken clases to learn to play musical instruments from time
immemorial. Beginning in the late Victorian era an expanding middle class
had the financial ability to afford instumental instruction for their
children. Earlier a much more narrow sector of the opulation could
aspire to musical training on anything but folk instruments. The fine
arts were until the 17th Century limited to court functions. Gradually
as Europe's middle class expanded in number and political influence,
the opportunity for refinements like instrumental tuition expanded. HBC believes that the increasing prposperity of America and Europe also meant that there were increasing numbers of family that could aford instrumental lessons for their children.
Large numbers of photographic portraits become available in the late 19th century. In part this was a reflection of the declining cost of a photographic portrait. Taking a photograph at a reciatal would have required a major effort. Thus most of our photographs or individual photographs that parents had done perhaps or before a reciatal. They pro
Motivation on the part of the boy varied. Some boys from their early childhood have aspired to learn a musical instument. In other cases, doting mothers have insisted on music lessons to inbue their sons with at least a minimal veneer of culture, even if their sons objected. Ofte the children, especially the boys objected. Some thought that music was more for girls. Other objected to the effort music demanded and time away from the ball field or other favored activity.
There was no costume of course for boys learning musical instruments.
Mothers insisted, however, that there sons put on their best suits for
any recitals or performances. In the late 19th Century this generally
meant a kneepants suit--often the popular double-breasted style. Given the age of the boys being taught to play instruments, most would be dressed in kneepants suits for recitals or portraits. Often mothers would add a
large bow to the boys outfit. Bows were commonly
worn by young boys in the late-19th Century with Little Lord Fauntleroy
suits or other fancy outfits. For recitals or special occasions a bow
might be added to the outfits of even older boys now wearing more
adult-looking suits. Sailor suits, usually with kneepants, appear to have been popular choices. Interestingly, relatively few boys appear to have worn Fauntleroy suits. Perhaps age was a factor.
A valued HBC reader submitted the image here od the boy in the sailor suit thinking that he might be a child prodigy. HBC don't think he was a prodigy though. They would most likely be mass-produced post cards with name printed on the front or back. The boy in the sailor suit and violin looks to be a loving portrait of an adorded son.
We note other early 19th century images. Unfortunately there is no provinance connected with the images so we are unsure just what is involved. Some of the boys may be local prodigies, boys with considerable musical talent. Others may be boys dressed up for a reciatal. Or they simply may be boys learning to play a musical nstrument and they are their mothers wanted them photographed with there instrument. That may be the case here (figure 1). There are several other such instances reflected in HBC's image archive. One such example is a Philadelphia boy photographed proably in the late 1880s.
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