Hermine, Marie and Marie Antoine. 1850s - 1860s

Editor: Here we have Franz Antoine’s "Hermine, Marie and Marie Antoine," a gelatin silver print from sometime in the 1850s or 60s. There’s such a formality to it, even a weight. I'm struck by the faces of the children - they look rather sad. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, considering the context, what we’re really looking at here is an image born of loss and class. Photography in its early days was becoming accessible, yes, but still held an element of the elite. What does it say about who had access to representation and who did not? Editor: I see. So this wasn't just about capturing a moment. Curator: Precisely. Also, think about the labor required in the sitters simply to be still and pose at this time for an image. We should note the limited gazes and subdued demeanor of the children which underscores their subjugation, their powerlessness. The work evokes broader dialogues around societal power structures and control. Editor: I didn't think about the technology being linked to status in that way. I see it now! What do you think about how they are posed together? Curator: Group portraiture served many roles; recording lineage, displaying wealth, reinforcing gender and class roles. Here the children flank their mother in the very image of filial respect. It tells of a social imperative during a particular epoch to understand familial relationships based on economic standing. In posing they seem aware of being frozen within this visual transaction, an exchange and a message to viewers. Editor: I hadn't considered it like that before - as a societal message encoded in the image. Curator: Yes, situating it within those narratives enriches our understanding. It makes you wonder, what is omitted, and perhaps, suppressed from this staged image. Editor: That’s a lot to take in. I’ll definitely be looking at photographs differently from now on. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! Understanding the narratives and power at play in visual culture is an ongoing, necessary process.