Untitled (bust length portrait of man with moustache, labeled Sewall Henry Hooper, A.B. 1875) 1874 - 1875

Curator: This is an albumen print by William Notman, an untitled portrait of Sewall Henry Hooper, likely taken around 1875. Editor: There's such a gentle quality to this image. The soft focus around the subject gives him a dreamlike presence. Curator: Notman's studio became quite well-known for these portraits, catering to a growing middle class eager to participate in visual culture and construct a lasting image of themselves. Editor: It makes me wonder what Sewall Henry Hooper’s dreams were at that age. What did he hope to accomplish after graduating from Harvard? Curator: Precisely. The photograph becomes a marker of social identity and aspiration. It's a fascinating glimpse into the construction of masculinity and class. Editor: It's like peeking through a sepia-toned window into someone's past, imagining the hopes and fears of a young man on the cusp of his future.