Untitled (bust length portrait of clean shaven man wearing light colored overcoat with dark color labeled Joseph Wilby, A.B. 1875) 1874 - 1875

Curator: This is an untitled portrait by William Notman, a work depicting Joseph Wilby, an A.B. graduate from 1875. Editor: The oval vignette gives the image a dreamlike, ethereal quality. The sepia tones imbue it with a sense of nostalgia and the past. Curator: Absolutely. Notman was a very successful commercial photographer, and portraits like these offer a glimpse into the social hierarchies of the time, revealing the importance of education and professional identity. What stories could Wilby tell us about the late 19th century? Editor: There's a certain formality in the composition. The subject's gaze is directed slightly off-center, creating an air of introspection and perhaps even a subtle detachment. Curator: I agree. I wonder how Wilby’s identity as a Harvard graduate shaped his experience, considering the context of class and privilege in that era. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Editor: Indeed. Examining the formal elements while considering the social context gives us such a rich understanding. Curator: It certainly does, leaving us much to ponder.