Untitled (little girl holding picture book) c. 1950

Curator: This photograph, simply titled "Untitled (little girl holding picture book)," was created by Lucian and Mary Brown. Its exact date is unknown. Editor: There's an unsettling quality here, isn't there? The stark inversion of tones gives it an almost ghostly feel. Curator: The Browns were interested in the everyday realities of childhood. Note how the setting—likely a bedroom—frames the child's interaction with her ABC book. We can interpret this in the context of early 20th-century educational ideals. Editor: Yes, but I am also interested in exploring the absence of the parent or caregiver. What does that say about childhood experiences in that period? Curator: It is an interesting way to think about this photograph! Thank you! Editor: Thank you!