Model in New York Studio c. 1915

Curator: Before us is Clarence H. White’s photograph, “Model in New York Studio,” dating from around 1915. Editor: My first impression is one of subdued tones and soft light. It has this quiet, almost melancholic atmosphere, amplified by the muted palette. Curator: The print exemplifies Pictorialist aesthetics. Notice how the textures and tones evoke an almost painterly effect, moving it away from strict realism. What kind of labor goes into producing an image like that? Editor: A great deal! Think about the materials—platinum or gum bichromate—the layering and manipulation in the darkroom, and all that handwork in service of creating that very atmospheric quality. How different it is from our present culture of point and click instant results! Curator: Precisely. Let's consider the vertical lines established by the window blinds and the way they bisect the space and interact with the softly rendered form of the model. What symbolic order does this lend to the image? Editor: The blinds do act as both division and light filter; they represent the conditions of labor that are part of creating these pictures in the first place. The control of light, as a sort of control of the studio’s output and the work undertaken. Curator: A fascinating reading. Note how the blurring of details renders the figure and the background almost indistinguishable, inviting a deeper inquiry. Editor: Yes, blurring conventional separations. What it lacks in sharply rendered details, it more than makes up for in capturing the subtle nuances of both place and sitter within an industry in its relative infancy. The labor of representation, one might say, being quite complex in its very early years. Curator: White manages to convey so much atmosphere, blurring the lines between reality and idealized perception. Editor: Indeed. A poignant insight into photography's capacity to transform, not merely capture.