Quincy Street from Harvard Street 1861 - 1866

Editor: Here we have George Kendall Warren's photograph, "Quincy Street from Harvard Street." It has a haunting, almost desolate feel with those bare trees. What can you tell me about the story behind its production and the materials used? Curator: Consider the albumen print process itself – how its specific chemistry and the labor involved in its creation shape our understanding of the image. Also, what does it mean to document this street? Is it a commentary on land ownership or social stratification within Cambridge at the time? Editor: That's interesting; I hadn't thought about the social commentary aspect. So, the very act of photographing becomes a statement about the scene's place in society? Curator: Precisely. It makes us question the purpose of this documentation. What was the intended audience, and what values did they hold? Editor: Fascinating. I'll definitely look at photography differently now.