Untitled (little boy in cowboy outfit, holding gun, looking at camera) 1952

Curator: John Deusing's small, untitled gelatin silver print shows a boy dressed as a cowboy, holding a toy gun, located in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s kind of unsettling, isn’t it? That cherubic face juxtaposed with the gun, even if it is a toy. A bit too serious for such a young kid. Curator: Consider how Westerns were deeply embedded in American culture. This child's costuming might reflect the cultural obsession with the romanticized "Wild West," which served specific political narratives. Editor: It’s also a power thing, right? Putting a gun in a kid’s hand, even in play. It creates a weird tension and makes you wonder about the photographer's intent and the family's values. Curator: Exactly. What this image tells us about the society of its time is definitely complex. Editor: Yeah, this innocent-looking image sure does have a dark side.