Untitled (portrait of an older couple) 1938

Curator: This is John Deusing's "Untitled (portrait of an older couple)," a small black and white image at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The stark contrast immediately strikes me. It feels like a study in form, the figures almost sculpted by the light. Curator: Indeed. The social context of portraiture, particularly within African American communities, speaks to the power of representation and self-definition. This couple presents themselves with great dignity, pushing back against pervasive stereotypes. Editor: Precisely, and the composition reinforces that. The symmetry, the patterned backdrop – it all creates a very formal structure for their presentation. Curator: This work serves as a testament to the couple's agency. Their clothing, their poses—these choices reflect the era's social norms, yet they command the space. Editor: Seeing it this way makes me reconsider the interplay of light and shadow not merely as technique, but as framing their very being. Curator: Ultimately, this portrait resonates as a visual declaration of identity. Editor: A compelling intersection of form and cultural significance.