Untitled [portrait of a gentleman wearing eye glasses] 1852 - 1858

Editor: This is an untitled portrait of a gentleman wearing eye glasses, by Jeremiah Gurney, likely created between 1852 and 1858. It’s at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The whole presentation, with its ornate case, evokes a feeling of Victorian solemnity. What do you see in this piece that stands out to you? Curator: I'm immediately struck by the gaze. He looks at us directly, through those wire-rimmed glasses, almost like an invitation or a challenge. Eyeglasses, in themselves, become powerful symbols here, of intellect and a modern self-awareness. He is choosing how he wants to be seen, how he wants to present himself to posterity. Editor: That makes me wonder if the glasses suggest something else. I hadn't thought about the self-awareness element so directly. What cultural meaning can we derive from these early photographs and the way people chose to pose? Curator: Well, photography in this era was relatively new and expensive, making each image a carefully considered statement. These portraits were not just about capturing likeness, but about constructing identity. Look at the formality of the suit, the neatly groomed beard. This gentleman is consciously aligning himself with respectability, with a rising middle class eager to establish its place in society. How does that reading sit with you? Editor: I hadn't thought about that specifically. So much emphasis on status and a deliberate creation of one’s persona for society to digest. Almost like an early version of social media! I suppose that helps contextualize the care taken with the presentation, the gilded frame, and everything. Curator: Exactly! And thinking about how sitters at the time sought to reflect permanence through specific stylistic approaches is important. Considering such aspects reveals so much about their place within their cultural landscape. Editor: It is amazing how many stories one image can tell. I’ll never look at a photograph the same way again!