Untitled (high-jumper jumping over bar) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have an untitled image by Jack Gould of a high-jumper, housed in the Harvard Art Museums. The stark black and white contrast gives it a very graphic feel. What do you notice about its formal qualities? Curator: The composition is striking; the stark white background isolates the figure, emphasizing the geometry of the body in motion. Consider the diagonal line created by the athlete's body against the horizontal bar—a visual tension. What does this juxtaposition suggest to you? Editor: Perhaps a sense of overcoming? The diagonal breaking the horizontal? Curator: Precisely. And note the repetitive pattern of the windows. This creates a spatial context, almost like a musical score. The photograph’s visual language speaks to both dynamism and controlled structure. Editor: It’s amazing how much can be gleaned just from focusing on form. Thanks for showing me that. Curator: Indeed. It’s a lesson in seeing.