Untitled [Pumpkins in a Field] 19th-20th century

This photograph, "Untitled [Pumpkins in a Field]," was created by William B. Post around the turn of the 20th century, using a platinum printing process. Post was part of the Photo-Secession movement, and was devoted to promoting photography as a fine art form. What does it mean to take an image of pumpkins in a field and call it art? The very ordinariness of the subject invites us to consider the social and cultural values that elevated certain subjects to the level of ‘art’ while excluding others. Consider the rural context, and the labor involved in agriculture at the time. The platinum print itself was a marker of status, as this process was more expensive and difficult to master than other printing methods. Studying photography journals, exhibition catalogs, and the writings of Photo-Secession members can reveal much about the ambitions of artists like Post and the institutions that supported them.