Untitled (two portraits of a baby in a hat) c. 1945

Editor: This is an untitled photographic print by John Deusing, showing two portraits of a baby in a hat. They're side-by-side, almost like a before-and-after. What do you see here? Curator: I see a commentary on the performance of identity, even in infancy. Consider the hat, a signifier of status and belonging. Does this staged, almost clinical, presentation reflect societal expectations imposed upon children, particularly concerning class? Editor: Interesting. So you see it as less about the baby and more about what the baby *represents*? Curator: Precisely. This image, devoid of context, becomes a mirror reflecting our own assumptions about childhood and social hierarchy. What does it mean to "capture" a child's image? Is it an act of preservation, or perhaps, control? Editor: I never thought about it that way. It's like the baby is a prop in a larger social narrative. Curator: Exactly. These images invite us to critically examine the historical and cultural forces that shape our understanding of innocence, class, and representation. Editor: This makes me question the motivations behind early portraiture in general. Curator: Indeed. Deusing's work prompts us to consider the power dynamics inherent in image-making, even when the subject is seemingly powerless.