James Mills Peirce (1834-1906) 1884

Editor: So, this portrait is of James Mills Peirce by Alfred Quinton Collins. It's quite a serious depiction. What can you tell me about its significance? Curator: It's a powerful representation of masculinity and academic authority. Consider the gaze, the beard, the dark, formal clothing. How does this imagery construct an image of power, and who is excluded from that narrative? Editor: It definitely feels like a very specific type of person is being portrayed. What does this tell us about the context of the time? Curator: It suggests a specific vision of leadership and knowledge. Thinking intersectionally, how might Peirce's position have impacted the experiences of marginalized students and faculty at Harvard? Editor: That's a good point. I hadn't considered the broader implications. Curator: Art invites us to examine not just what is represented, but what is deliberately omitted.