Child with “Mother”
This picture might look odd, but it’s actually rather sweet. Photography took so long in this era that it was essential for children to stay perfectly still for a long time, otherwise, their photos would just be a blurry mess. Of course, getting a baby or small child to stay still in such an artificial environment would be nearly impossible.
To help keep their kids nice and still, the child’s grown-up (usually their mother or a nanny) would hide themselves under a blanket, and sit the baby on their lap. Some of these pictures managed to disguise the hidden adult better than others, of course, leading to this creepy sight.