Equitable Building c. 1930

Curator: Here we have Sherril Schell's photograph, "Equitable Building," currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The verticality is striking; it feels like a monument to ambition, rendered in sepia tones. Curator: Indeed. The Equitable Building, even in fragments, speaks to something beyond sheer architecture. Notice how the lines draw the eye skyward. There is a clear intent to evoke feelings of awe and aspiration, particularly in light of its time. Editor: I'm curious about the building materials themselves. The photograph emphasizes their texture, hinting at the labor involved in their extraction and fabrication. Curator: The column detail also evokes a connection to classical architecture, yet scaled up for modern commerce. Editor: Precisely, it is the conflation of aesthetics and economics made literal in steel and stone. Curator: It gives a sense of the period's drive to equate financial success with cultural legacy. Editor: I see how Schell's photograph provides a window into that era’s values. Curator: The image provides a complex understanding of progress. Editor: Definitely. It's an exploration of how buildings embody cultural values in their very materials.