"Nobody's Business" (11587) c. 1897

Editor: This stereograph, "Nobody's Business," lacks a precise date but was created by Benjamin West. It's quite small. The scene is humorous and strange, but I'm unsure what to make of it. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The humor you noticed is key. Stereographs like these were popular entertainment, often playing on social anxieties. The title itself suggests complicity with a secret. It's poking fun at the idea of privacy in a rapidly changing society. Editor: So, it's less about the specific scene and more about making a broader commentary? Curator: Precisely. Consider how photographic technology was still quite new, so staging scenes and controlling narratives was a powerful tool. The photograph becomes a stage for social commentary. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, about the very public display of "private" moments. Editor: I see your point. It's thought-provoking. Thanks!