Untitled (chimp holding an umbrella) c. 1950

Editor: This is Jack Gould's "Untitled (chimp holding an umbrella)" from the Harvard Art Museums. It's a small black and white photograph of a chimpanzee on a tightrope. What strikes me is how staged and artificial the scene feels. How do you interpret this work within its historical context? Curator: The image speaks volumes about the cultural position of animals and entertainment. The chimp, dressed and performing, is a spectacle—a reflection of societal power dynamics and the commodification of nature. Consider the historical context of circuses and zoos, where animals were often displayed as objects of amusement. What does the backdrop suggest to you? Editor: It looks like a child's drawing of a farm, adding to the feeling of forced innocence. So, the photograph is not just about the chimp, but about how we, as a society, construct and consume these images? Curator: Precisely. It compels us to question the ethics of entertainment and our relationship with the natural world. Editor: I see it now; there is much more depth to this photograph than initially apparent.