James May, Petersburg, Virginia (1837-1876) 1858

Curator: Here we have John Adams Whipple's photograph, "James May, Petersburg, Virginia", likely taken around 1860, given May's estimated birth year and the dating of similar works. Editor: It’s a somber portrait, the sepia tones lending a sense of faded glory. The oval framing concentrates the eye, and May’s direct gaze is rather intense. Curator: The intensity speaks to the relatively new technology and process. Consider the labor involved: the collodion process was painstaking, demanding technical skill and specific materials. It's more than just pointing and shooting. Editor: Absolutely. And the photograph's mounting also tells a story. How was this image consumed? Who was James May? How did this portrait function within the social and cultural history of Petersburg, Virginia, particularly in the context of the pre-Civil War South? Curator: These early photographic portraits were luxury items, and the materiality of the print, with its delicate tonal range, speaks to the aspirations of the sitter and the photographer. Editor: It makes you think about the power dynamics inherent in image-making, and the socio-economic realities that shaped who was represented and how. Curator: Precisely. It's a small object, yet packed with information about the era's material culture. Editor: Indeed, a potent reminder of the intersection between individual identity and broader historical forces.