Untitled (family portrait with three men in uniform) c. 1945

Curator: This is John Deusing's "Untitled (family portrait with three men in uniform)," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s strikingly stark. The high contrast and almost ghostly figures give it a very formal, almost unsettling atmosphere. Curator: The uniforms certainly speak volumes. Notice how they signify not just military service, but potentially sacrifice and communal identity during a period of war. Family portraits held enormous weight. Editor: The composition is interesting. The subjects are rigidly posed. It gives a sense of forced formality, heightened by the stark lighting which renders details as pure form. Curator: The photograph might reflect societal expectations and perhaps anxieties of the time. The uniformity could represent social cohesion, but also a suppression of individuality under the weight of duty. Editor: Yes, though the light could also be seen as a tool to flatten the image, removing depth, and creating more visual impact through the negative space of dark and light. Curator: It provides a window into a specific moment, laden with historical and cultural significance. Editor: It's a fascinating dance between the visible and the invisible, a testament to the power of formal arrangement.