Untitled (man in chair holding pack of cigarettes) c. 1950

Editor: Here we have an intriguing silver gelatin print by Lester Cole, titled simply, "Untitled (man in chair holding pack of cigarettes)." It's got this almost ghostly, film noir vibe, doesn't it? What strikes you about it? Curator: Ghostly is a good word! It feels like a memory, perhaps one shrouded in the smoke of those cigarettes. The high contrast and the subject’s direct gaze give it a certain intensity, but also a fragility. It’s as if Cole is capturing not just a person, but a fleeting moment, a feeling. Does it evoke any specific era for you? Editor: Definitely mid-century, like something out of "Mad Men." There's a certain cool detachment. Curator: Exactly! It is amazing how much can be said in a single image. Thanks for the stimulating chat! Editor: I've learned so much - Thank you!