Here is a family photographed by a traveling photographer or a friend of the family who was skilled in the art.
The Man is holding what appears to be a dead baby but the infant look to be sleeping I doubt that he would have such a great smile if that was the case.The family looks to have been photographed outdoors and most likely on the side of the house where this family lived.
Would be a rather sick family to be smiling like that with a dead baby in their midst! I’m going with sleeping too! Lol!