Just goes to show how much better, forgiving, film is in handling overblown highlights.
That children are not so easily discernible from the surrounding, especially when viewed from a distance, I find to be the strength of the photo. Requires you to come closer and explore it, and shows how much their lives are intertwined with it, metaphorically.
As for color... hmmm, i do not know... not sure they had color film in the 17th century.