Untitled (baby in crib) c. 1950

Editor: Here we see an untitled photograph of a baby in a crib, by Lucian and Mary Brown. It's a small print, only about 4 by 5 inches. What strikes me is how the bars of the crib seem to cage the child. What do you make of it? Curator: Well, you're right to notice the confinement. How do socio-political factors affect our understanding of images of children? It is crucial to ask if the image is used for sentimental reasons, scientific study, or as a piece of social commentary on a family. Editor: So it is hard to tell the intention here. Curator: Yes, and that uncertainty makes it a powerful work. It forces us to consider the social and cultural roles of imagery and the representation of childhood.