Untitled (seven men posing at banquet table in brewing company) 1948

Curator: This evocative photograph by Martin Schweig, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums, captures seven men seated around a banquet table in what appears to be a brewing company. Editor: It has a somber feeling, doesn't it? The stark black and white emphasizes the formality, yet there's a certain levity suggested by the array of bottles. What do you make of it? Curator: Considering the setting, the imagery of the bottles, perhaps signs of industry or success, might represent an aspirational, albeit exclusionary, space for men of that era. It makes me think about gendered power dynamics in the workplace. Editor: Yes, the bottles arranged so prominently almost become totemic. It speaks to ritual, doesn't it? Shared experiences and silent understanding among peers. Perhaps a moment of fellowship captured in time. Curator: Precisely. It urges us to consider who is included, and crucially, who is excluded from such displays of camaraderie and power. Editor: It certainly provides a wealth of visual cues to contemplate and unpack.