Untitled (small child in coat and hat in front of mirror in store) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould. It depicts a small child in a coat and hat standing in front of a mirror in what appears to be a store. The mood is quite somber. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The image makes me consider the labor involved in producing and selling children's clothing. The materiality of the clothing, the reflective glass, and the photographic process itself are all products of human effort and industry. What was the social context of child clothing consumption at this time? Editor: That’s a great point about the consumption aspect, especially given it appears to be a shop window. Curator: Exactly, the window presents a scene, a commodity, the child, but it hides the processes that brought it all into being. Thinking about the economic forces and social values at play here adds another layer to our understanding. Editor: I hadn’t considered the economic factors, very interesting.