A Barber's Shop, from "Manners and Customs of Ye Bostonians" c. 19th century

Curator: This sketch by Francis Gilbert Attwood is titled "A Barber's Shop, from 'Manners and Customs of Ye Bostonians.'" What strikes you first about this scene? Editor: Chaos, but a very well-mannered chaos. It feels like the air is thick with cologne and whispered opinions, everyone primped and polished yet crammed together. Curator: I think Attwood captures a distinctly Bostonian air here. Look at the detail in the mirrors, the suggestion of gleaming surfaces and the sheer number of figures. It's a snapshot of a society obsessed with appearances, isn't it? Editor: Absolutely, and the tools of the trade – the razors, the brushes – they're rendered with a sort of loving attention, elevated to the status of instruments. The labor is right there, on display. Curator: You're right, it's a performance of grooming, a ritual. And for all that activity, the mood feels… contained. Editor: Yes, a very busy stillness. It makes you wonder what conversations happened within those walls. What were they reading, what were they saying, what made them laugh or weep? Curator: A fleeting glimpse into a world gone by. Editor: Indeed, a material testament to fleeting moments.