Taunton Lakes, New Jersey, with Wife and Daughter Hazel

Art Historical Context

**Taunton Lakes, New Jersey, with Wife and Daughter** (ca. 1905) is a tender photoprint by James Bartlett Rich capturing a waist-length portrait of the artist's and young daughter Hazel against the serene backdrop of Taunton Lakes in New Jersey. This intimate family moment, preserved in silver gelatin on paper, reflects the early 20th-century shift toward personal photography that blended everyday life with artistic expression. around 1905, the image exemplifies the growing accessibility of photography during America's Progressive Era, when snapshots of loved ones became cherished records of domestic bliss. Taunton Lakes, a picturesque spot in northern New Jersey, evokes leisurely outings amid natural beauty, highlighting how photographers like Rich turned ordinary scenes into evocative mementos. The photoprint medium—affording rich tonal depth and subtle gradations—underscored photography's emergence as fine art. Acquired by the Smithsonian American Art Museum through a special purchase from the Charles Isaacs Collection, this work joins a distinguished lineup of American photography. It invites visitors to ponder the universal joys of family bonds, preserved forever in a single, heartfelt frame. (178 words)