Untitled (boy sitting on wooden bench, head in hands) 1956

Curator: Here we have an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It depicts a boy sitting on a wooden bench, his head in his hands. Editor: My first thought? Melancholy. He's surrounded by people, but utterly alone in that gesture. The inverted tones add to the feeling of isolation. Curator: The head-in-hands motif is a powerful one. It’s a universal symbol of sorrow, despair, but also deep thought. Thinkers and mourners, wrestling with something profound. Editor: Right. It almost feels staged, like a classical painting where everyone has their role to play. The other figures fade into a backdrop for his solitude. Curator: The composition does lend itself to that interpretation. Gould captures a vulnerability and openness in a way that transcends the everyday. Editor: Absolutely. It's a timeless image of youthful introspection, even sadness. It really sticks with you.