Gropius Residence, Lincoln, Massachusetts, 1938 c. 1938

Curator: This photograph by Paul Davis captures Walter Gropius' residence in Lincoln, Massachusetts, circa 1938. Editor: Stark, isn't it? It reminds me of a film still, something austere and carefully composed. Curator: Davis’ photograph is very much a document of a key moment in the introduction of European modernism to America. Gropius, of course, was the director of the Bauhaus. Editor: It almost feels staged, like a play. The way the overhang frames the house... is it trying to create a conversation between inside and out? Curator: Gropius certainly intended the building itself to do that. The design emphasizes function, simplicity and integration with the landscape. Editor: All those clean lines against the unkempt field. It's a beautiful paradox. Curator: Indeed. Davis' photograph not only documents this iconic house but also reveals the cultural landscape in which it was inserted. Editor: It makes you think about the stories a building can tell, doesn't it? It also makes me think about how important light and shadow are in telling that story.