Untitled (portrait of a family with two children) c. 1940

Curator: This photogram, held within the Harvard Art Museums, is titled "Untitled (portrait of a family with two children)" by John Deusing. Editor: Wow, the negative space creates this ghostly, almost eerie feel. It's like looking at a memory fading away. Curator: Indeed. The high contrast emphasizes the formal posing, indicative of early photographic portraiture conventions, aimed at projecting a composed image of familial stability. Editor: But it's so much more than just "composed." The way the light bleeds around their figures gives them an otherworldly quality, like they're not quite present, or maybe trapped in time. Curator: Perhaps it captures a transitional moment, reflecting the changing social dynamics of the time as photography became more accessible and families sought new ways to represent themselves. Editor: Or maybe it's just a beautiful accident, a glimpse into something more profound than intended. Either way, this image makes me feel like the past is closer than we think. Curator: Precisely. It prompts contemplation on how we choose to remember and represent ourselves through images, even with the intervention of history.