Figure 1.--A HBC reader tells us that he bought this portrait in Beauce, Québec. An 8-9 year old boy seems to be pouting. He is seated in a large wicker chair and holding his little brother's hand. The portrait illustrates how children were dressed when going to Mass on Sunday. The boy wears a formal Norfolk suit. It might have been his First Communion suit. Notice the Eton collar and white bow. They were probably photographed around 1910. |
A HBC reader tells us that he bought this portrait in Beauce, Québec. They probably were from Beauce or at any rate somewhere near Québec City. The 8-9 year old boy has a wonderful, whistful expression. He is seated in a large wicker chair and tenderly holding his little brother's hand. The portrait illustrates how children were dressed when going to Mass on Sunday. The boy wears a formal Norfolk suit. It might have been his First Communion suit. It was an above the knees knickers suit. The rather elegant suit contrasts with the tough hand-knitted stockings. Notice the Eton collar and white bow. They were probably photographed around 1910. here the garments of both children are home-made, even the long stockings which are knitted in 2/1 ribs under the knee and plain over the knee. The dress of both boys are typical of that time and express how parents, even if poor, sewed or knitted fine dress in adult materials.
The children here are unidentified. The almost certainly are brothers. They look to be about 1 and 8-9 years old. The 8-9 year old boy has a wonderful, whistful expression. He is seated in a large wicker chair and tenderly holding his little brother's hand.
A HBC reader tells us that he bought this portrait in Beauce, Québec. They probably were from Beauce or at any rate somewhere near Québec City.
The portrait is undated. The boys were probably photographed around 1910.
The portrait illustrates how children were dressed when going to Mass on Sunday. A Canadian reader tells us, "This portrait shows how French-Canadian parents were anxious to dress kids like princes."
I think the younger child is a boy. One reader writes tht the hair style suggests that the child is a boy. I think he is wearing a tunic suit, although it is a little difficult to tell.
The older boy wears a formal Norfolk suit. It is a dark suit, probably navy blue. It might have been his First Communion suit. It was an above the knees knickers suit. The rather elegant suit contrasts with the tough hand-knitted stockings. Notice the Eton collar and white bow. here the garments of both children are home-made, even the long stockings which are knitted in 2/1 ribs under the knee and plain over the knee. The dress of both boys are typical of that time and express how parents, even if poor, sewed or knitted fine dress in adult materials.
Both children are wearing long stockings held up with round garters. There existed no suspender waists in Québec like American children wore at that time. A reader writes, "The long woolen stockings in this portrait seem to deserve comment. They appear to be hand-knitted. It looks as though the stockings have been lengthened--perhaps because the boy outgrew the original ones or because they have been handed down from a shorter boy. Mother has apparently added additional length by knitting extensions on the stockings. You can see that the section of the stockings above the knee has been added on." A Canadian reader writes, "I doubt that the extension is added to shorter stockings. If so, the
feet could be too narrow. No, stockings were knitted like that and I believe that the upper part could be like British knee-socks. The upper section was rolled on the 2/1 stockings and extended up during the cold days. This explains why the kid uses round garters for both situations."
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