Figure 1.-- These two little brothers had their portrait taken in 1928. They are Henry and Eugene Mezzanatto and lived in California. The boys look to be about 1-3 years of age. They were born in America, but their parents were Italian immigrants. This is noticeable in the portrait. We do not see Americans commonly photographed children without their clothes on, except for infants on the proverbial bear skin rug. This probably reflects the more prudish Puritan tradition in America. This was much more common in Italy and other Catholic countries.

These two little brothers had their portrait taken in 1928. They are Henry and Eugene Mezzanatto and lived in California. The boys look to be about 1-3 years of age. They were born in America, but their parents were Italian immigrants. This is noticeable in the portrait. We do not see Americans commonly photographed children without their clothes on, except for infants on the proverbial bear skin rug. This probably reflects the more prudish Puritan tradition in America. This was much more common in Italy and other Catholic countries. A reader wruites, "The carved chair is magnificent, with the eagle at the back and animal heads on the arms. The right looks like a frog's or lizard's head, and the left a squirrel. The eagle looks very American, otherwise I should have thought an Italian heirloom."

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Created: 10:47 PM 10/16/2010
Last edited: 6:43 AM 10/17/2010