Holworthy Hall, Harvard University 1863 - 1884

Curator: This is George Kendall Warren's photograph of Holworthy Hall at Harvard University. It's a small albumen print. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the bare trees. They feel like grasping claws reaching out to this bastion of academia. Curator: The albumen process itself is interesting. Egg whites were used to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper, a labor-intensive technique. Editor: It adds this dreamy quality to the sepia tones. I can almost smell the old paper and feel the weight of history. You know, it whispers stories of scholarly pursuits and late-night debates. Curator: Yes, and consider the class implications. Photography at this time, along with education at Harvard, were largely accessible to the elite. Editor: True, there's an undeniable air of privilege clinging to it. Yet, the artist captured something timeless—a quiet moment of contemplation. Curator: Precisely, and the material choices reflect that era so well. Editor: I'll never look at bare trees the same way again!