Untitled (portrait of a man) c. 1940

Curator: Here we see an intriguing, undated portrait by John Deusing, a small image, about 7 by 5 inches. It depicts a man in a suit, but there's something eerie about it, almost like looking at a ghost. Editor: The high contrast between the stark white figure and the murky background certainly amplifies that spectral quality. The composition, however, is classically structured. Curator: Right, it's the negative space, the way the light flares around him that gets to me. What narrative does it suggest? Is he fading away, or coming into being? Editor: Consider the semiotics of light here. White, traditionally linked to purity, here it distorts, becoming unsettling. It disrupts conventional portraiture. Curator: I love how it destabilizes our expectations. Looking at it, I'm reminded of old spirit photography. It's a reminder that every image carries its own mystery. Editor: It's a powerful work that certainly offers a complex interplay between form and psychological impact.