Stereograph:On the Beach at the Bath House

Since the introduction of photography in the mid-nineteenth century, the subject of play is one of the most photographed. Parents take pictures of their children at play with toys, at public playgrounds, with their animals, and dressed in costume. Adults also photograph each other while vacationing, celebrating a holiday, and during impromptu family gatherings. These photographs record some of the happiest moments of childhood and adulthood; they demonstrate the history and commonality of play in our culture.