Untitled (two portraits of a baby in a dress) c. 1940

Curator: This is an untitled work by John Deusing, two portraits of a baby in a dress. Given the photographic process, it’s likely from the late 19th or early 20th century. Editor: Ooh, my first thought is “eerie sweetness.” That inverted tone, it gives them this ghostly, almost otherworldly presence. Curator: The formal portrait like this was a way for families, even those of modest means, to participate in a visual culture previously reserved for the elite. Think about the democratizing power of the photograph. Editor: And yet, there's something about the starkness that strips away some of the sentimentality. Makes you wonder about the baby, the family, what their lives were really like. Curator: Absolutely. These images existed within a complex social fabric, reflecting both aspirations and anxieties of the time. Editor: It's strange how something so seemingly simple can hold so much. Curator: Indeed, these portraits are a powerful reminder of photography's role in shaping our perceptions and preserving fleeting moments.