Untitled (studio portrait, small girl posed with table and flowers) c. 1910

Curator: What a striking image. This is an untitled studio portrait by Durette Studio, depicting a small girl posed with a table and flowers. It's a gelatin silver print. Editor: It's ghostly. The negative effect and the girl's stillness give it an eerie quality. It makes you wonder about the social conditions that might lead a family to pose a child like this. Curator: Exactly. Studio portraits like this were often commissioned to mark important social milestones. What class does she come from? The dress looks handmade with care, each stitch a labor of love, yet constrained by available resources. Editor: And the flowers? They add a layer of vulnerability. The politics of imagery are always interesting. What was the studio selling here? Curator: Perhaps not overt selling, but a transaction. A family is buying into the idea of permanence. And Durette Studio were selling their expertise. Editor: Good point. It's a poignant glimpse into the past, isn’t it? Curator: Indeed. It's a beautiful material object.