Untitled (portrait of a large family) c. 1950

Curator: This is an "Untitled (portrait of a large family)" photograph by Harry Annas. It's a gelatin silver print, measuring about 4 by 5 inches, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought is that it appears ghostly, almost like peering into the past. The inverted tones create an unsettling yet intriguing effect. Curator: Indeed. The photographic negative transforms a typical family portrait into something more ambiguous. What were the social dynamics at play in this kind of formal portrait? These were often commissioned, symbols of status and connection. Editor: The children, in particular, possess a symbolic innocence contrasted by the starkness of the medium. Even without knowing the specifics, the family unit—the cyclical nature of generations—is highlighted. It's archetypal. Curator: And the act of displaying this image, a conscious choice. How might this photographic negative challenge, or reinforce, conventional displays of familial imagery? Editor: It makes you think about what’s usually hidden, brought to light, or even reversed in life. A powerful image; I see much more than simply a record of a family. Curator: Absolutely, a visual statement on how we remember and represent ourselves, culturally and historically.