Art Study from Model c. 1900

Editor: We're looking at John H. Garo's "Art Study from Model" at the Harvard Art Museums. It's quite a striking image, almost dreamlike. What strikes you about this portrait? Curator: I'm drawn to how Garo uses the photographic medium to explore ideas around aging and representation. It's a very painterly photograph that reflects the pictorialist movement. How might the social role of elders, or lack thereof, impact how we value images like this? Editor: So you're saying the value comes from how society treats elders? Curator: Precisely! Their visibility, their stories—or the silencing of those things. Garo's soft focus almost softens the edges of aging, but it doesn't erase them. What are your thoughts? Editor: I didn't think about it that way. I see how he challenges ideas about growing old. Curator: Exactly. Art can be a powerful tool for social commentary.