Untitled (family portrait) c. 1950

Editor: This is an "Untitled (family portrait)" photograph by Lucian and Mary Brown. The negative shows a family formally posed. I’m struck by how the domestic space is captured. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The photograph's material presence as a negative reveals the labor and chemical processes inherent in its making. Note the social context: How does the family’s presentation – their clothing, the objects they chose to surround themselves with – reflect aspirations and consumerism? Editor: It's interesting to think about their choices. Curator: Indeed. The deliberate staging and the act of photographic documentation tell us a lot about identity construction and the social function of family portraits. Editor: I never considered all those layers. Thanks for the insight!