Untitled (mother chimp with baby chimp) c. 1950

Curator: Here we have Jack Gould’s intimate gelatin silver print, Untitled (mother chimp with baby chimp), measuring a modest 6 by 12 centimeters. Editor: My first impression is vulnerability; the stark black and white emphasizes the touching tenderness between mother and child, echoing so many human depictions. Curator: Indeed. Consider the socio-political weight – the chimp mother as a symbol for maternal struggles across species, a poignant commentary on captivity and the ethics of human intervention in animal lives. Editor: And the formal composition… that cradling gesture – it evokes a Madonna and Child motif, doesn't it? The artist subtly imbues the scene with a timeless iconography. Curator: Precisely. This image challenges our anthropocentric worldview, prompting us to question hierarchical structures and notions of inherent human superiority. Editor: Ultimately, Gould’s photograph provides a universal lens through which we contemplate love, protection, and the shared vulnerabilities that connect us all.