Parasol 1880s

Curator: At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, we have this evocative photograph, simply called "Parasol," which was created in the 1880s by Follmer, Clogg & Company. Editor: It strikes me as a surprisingly melancholic image, considering its subject. The monochrome and the downward droop of the fabric lend it a somber, almost funerary air. Curator: Well, black lace held many meanings, from high fashion to mourning attire. The umbrella itself—or parasol, as the title implies—was a powerful status symbol for women. Editor: So, it’s less about protection from the elements and more about societal presentation. Almost like armor, shielding oneself from unwanted attention or scrutiny. Curator: Exactly! The parasol became a tool within a complex dance of visibility and concealment. Also, we can think of still life as more than simple composition, looking at how it also becomes something like portraiture. Editor: True! The texture is captivating; almost edible. It reminds me of gothic pastries you'd find in a fairytale gone wrong. Maybe one bite could transport you to some wistful dream! Curator: (chuckles) I see the romantic appeal! It may signal larger trends in how photography gained prominence to capture our own domestic comforts. This piece hints to larger debates of domesticity in romantic portraits in painting. Editor: And isn’t there something very gothic about the romance of that era? A fascination with beauty intertwined with death and decay. I love the way objects echo that too; it is an elegy for fading fashion. Curator: Right. We see those threads pulling the image in diverse ways, reflecting complex social codes of that era. Editor: What I initially read as melancholy…perhaps it is something else entirely, but with echoes of that tone. Like many historical relics, the image asks more questions than answers! Curator: Agreed, and those lingering questions ensure its continued resonance.