Untitled (portrait of a couple in a studio) c. 1940

Curator: John Deusing created this untitled photograph of a couple in a studio. While undated, its visual style suggests the mid-20th century. The image, measuring 25.4 x 20.32 cm, now resides in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is how spectral they appear, like figures emerging from a half-remembered dream. The reversed tones give it an unsettling, almost ghostly quality. Curator: Studio portraits like this were a common way for people to mark significant moments. The couple's formal attire and pose hint at an event, maybe a wedding. Editor: The bouquet she's holding, though abstracted, certainly points toward a bridal image. I see the pose, the dress, as symbols of aspiration and societal expectations of partnership. There's a tension between intimacy and artificiality. Curator: Indeed, this was a moment in time, constructed for the camera and, by extension, for posterity. Editor: Looking at this, I reflect on how much the ritual of the portrait – even a simple one – says about our desire to be seen, to be remembered, even after we fade.