Untitled (family playing musical instruments in living room) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled black and white photograph by Lucian and Mary Brown, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. It depicts a family band—so charming, and a little eerie given its ghostly negative look. What draws your eye? Curator: Ah, the domestic symphony! I'm fascinated by the intimacy, yet the strangeness, of this moment captured in reverse. The tonal inversion renders a familiar scene wonderfully alien. It makes me wonder what sort of tune this family was playing. I bet it was anything but harmonious. Editor: Anything but harmonious? What makes you say that? Curator: Well, look at the tension in the composition, and the variety of instruments and sheet music; they all add to the overall sense of...performance. What do you make of that? Editor: I see what you mean! This piece captures a fascinating family moment, both familiar and strange. Curator: Exactly! We've taken a walk through the uncanny valley of domesticity!