Untitled (workers in field) c. 1940

Curator: This is an untitled image by Hamblin Studio, of workers in a field. It's a silver gelatin print from an original glass negative. Editor: It’s stark, almost ghostly. All that pale light makes the laborers seem like figures from a half-remembered dream. Curator: Absolutely. The Hamblin Studio, though relatively obscure now, produced many images documenting rural and industrial life. This particular image speaks to the labor conditions, but also the romantic ideals of rural America. Editor: Romantic, maybe, but also unrelenting. I see backs bent, heads down, in what looks like endless rows. There is a quiet heroism to it, but also a feeling of being trapped. Curator: The lack of a definitive title pushes us to really consider what this image represents beyond the immediate scene. Is it about the dignity of work or exploitation? Perhaps both? Editor: It makes you wonder about their stories, doesn't it? Each one of those figures had a life, a family, and all we see is their silhouette in a field. Curator: Indeed. It’s a potent reminder of the complexities embedded within seemingly simple depictions of work and life. Editor: Yes, now I can see the romantic aspect, an eerie beauty.