Untitled (man in costume) c. 1860 - 1880

Editor: This is Willoughby Wallace Hooper's "Untitled (man in costume)," its date is unknown. It's a striking photograph; the man's gaze is so direct. What historical narratives do you see at play here? Curator: Hooper, as a colonial photographer, was capturing images of power dynamics. How does the sitter's elaborate costume and weaponry both reinforce and potentially subvert colonial expectations of representation? What do you think? Editor: I hadn’t considered the potential subversion. Perhaps he's reclaiming agency through the very act of being photographed in his finery. Curator: Exactly. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, about the complexities of identity and representation within the frame of colonial history. Editor: It definitely gives a lot to think about. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! It's always rewarding to re-examine these historical images with a contemporary lens.