Untitled (dead child, with background of lace) c. 1915

Curator: There’s a palpable stillness in this early photograph from the Harvard Art Museums. It’s titled "Untitled (dead child, with background of lace)" and is credited to Durette Studio. Editor: Somber is the immediate impression, even haunting. The lace seems to simultaneously soften the scene and create a suffocating enclosure. Curator: Death photography served a specific purpose then, often the final portrait. The lace, the careful draping—they’re laden with symbolic intent. Transience, purity, even a kind of aspirational beauty. Editor: But consider the labor involved. The lace itself, likely handmade, signifies a family's economic standing and emotional investment. This wasn’t simply a clinical record; it was a crafted memorial, a commodity for grief. Curator: A very poignant point. The visual language of mourning is a powerful and enduring force, connecting us to past experiences of loss. Editor: It's a stark reminder of how material culture shapes even our most intimate experiences of death and remembrance.