Untitled (man and woman in costume, dancing) 1946

This small photograph captures a dancing couple in costume, made by Robert Burian using traditional photographic processes. The monochrome image emphasizes the textures of the fabrics and stage setting. The image, printed from a negative, speaks to the standardization of studio photography. The ease and efficiency of photographic reproduction allowed for a boom in the mass distribution of images. This new mode of production had a democratizing effect. Portraiture was no longer limited to the wealthy, but available to the working and middle classes. The photograph also hints at a social commentary. Dancing and dress-up allowed individuals to express themselves outside of social norms. Through dress, the photographed man and woman assume new personas in defiance of established ideas of gender roles and class differences. By considering the materials, process, and context, we can move beyond a simple reading of the photograph, to understand it as a cultural document, reflecting the social and economic forces at play during the time it was created.