The pose and composition of "Josephine's Mother" is similar to the 1871 painting "Whistler's Mother."

In this case, Josephine is the child the young woman is carrying. The mother looks alert and details such as a watch and the wall plug indicate that hers is a contemporary world, although she wears clothing typical of a bygone age. She is the future: the next generation, carrying the next.

This was also the daily attire of my daughter-in-law in the Netherlands where she found it was assumed that she also held conservative views because of her style of dress.