Untitled (woman poses seated, formally dresses, earrings, long strand of pearls) c. 1930

Curator: There's a certain solemnity to this untitled photograph by Harris & Ewing, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. The woman's posture, her pearls...it feels quite formal. Editor: Absolutely. And considering Harris & Ewing's prominent role in portraiture, we must acknowledge the material conditions of photography's emergence within the broader commercial sector. Curator: The pearls speak to a specific social class, don’t they? How the acquisition and display of such items reinforced social hierarchies. Editor: Precisely. This image serves not just as a portrait, but as a record of material culture and labor, from pearl cultivation to garment production. The pearls themselves are a testament to global trade and consumerism. Curator: Thinking about photographic processes, the use of light and shadow here really emphasizes her features. Editor: Indeed, we see a calculated construction of persona through material signifiers. It prompts us to question how such images influenced perceptions of women and their roles within society. Curator: A powerful glimpse into a bygone era, seen through a very particular lens, literally and figuratively. Editor: Leaving us to ponder the broader social impact and constructed realities that underpinned this image's creation and circulation.