Psyche c. 1870

Curator: Julia Margaret Cameron's photographic print, "Psyche," part of the Harvard Art Museums collection, presents a profile portrait in sepia tones. Editor: It feels so ethereal, almost like a dream. The soft focus gives it a timeless quality, a sense of yearning. Curator: Cameron was fascinated by literary and historical themes, staging her sitters as figures from mythology or the Bible. She was interested in photography's potential as high art. Editor: I find myself wondering about the model. What did it mean for her to embody this figure of Psyche at that moment in history, within the restrictive norms of Victorian society? Curator: Indeed, her works challenge the Victorian portraiture's formality. Cameron used a distinctive soft-focus technique, which was often criticized at the time, but which she defended as adding to the spiritual quality. Editor: It is fascinating to consider the image within the context of its reception, in the face of prevailing social and cultural conventions. Curator: Considering Cameron's artistic choices gives us greater insight into the artistic and social context. Editor: Ultimately, this work helps us reflect on our own contemporary understanding of representation and identity.