Untitled (Cardinal baseball player pitching) 1961

Curator: This is Jack Gould's Untitled photograph of a Cardinal's baseball player pitching, held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's dynamic! The composition really captures the tension of the pitcher's wind-up, the moment before release, all in a very balanced frame. Curator: Indeed, and looking closer at its materiality, the Kodachrome slide gives the image a vibrant, almost idealized quality. It speaks to the cultural production of baseball as entertainment, a commodity. Editor: The clear blue sky, the green of the field – very pleasing to the eye. The lighting emphasizes the figure’s form, drawing our attention to the mechanics of the body. Curator: Exactly! The photograph also participates in a broader narrative, documenting the player's labor and skill. And the labor of the photographer as well. Editor: I see it as a study of form and movement. It’s frozen action, a moment of athletic grace captured forever through the lens. Curator: I agree. The image is compelling on multiple levels. Editor: It leaves you contemplating the artistry within the sport itself.