Figure 56: Surprise 1854 - 1856

Editor: Here we have "Figure 56: Surprise," a daguerreotype by Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne, dating from the mid-1850s. The man's expression is… well, it's quite startling! He really does look genuinely surprised. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, first, let's consider the context. Duchenne wasn't just taking portraits; he was a neurologist studying the physiology of emotion. He electrically stimulated facial muscles to isolate and record expressions. The social implications of this, using photography in the service of science, were huge! He's pushing the boundaries of medical knowledge, using photography to validate his theories about how facial muscles create human emotion. Editor: So, this wasn't intended as art, per se? It was scientific documentation? But displayed at the Met now... Curator: Precisely! Museums, and galleries often re-contextualize work over time. These images originally served a scientific purpose, but their raw emotional power and historical significance also lend them artistic value. The "surprise" here wasn't just a fleeting moment, it was manufactured, meticulously recorded and arguably presented for consumption. That has profound political implications, don’t you think? How we perform for, and interpret images impacts every sphere of social reality. Editor: That makes me consider how our perception of it today differs. We view it as a historical artifact now. Were there ethical concerns back then about causing a person these forced emotional displays? Curator: The ethics of his methods were certainly debated then and continue to be now. He was experimenting, documenting, and, some argue, exploiting. These questions surrounding ethics, artistic or historical significance are always so intertwined. Editor: This gives me so much more to consider when looking at what at first just seemed like a funny picture. Thanks for unpacking this work’s many layers! Curator: It highlights how our understanding of art constantly evolves. These visual dialogues create a shared culture experience.