Untitled (portrait of a couple) c. 1945

Curator: I see sweetness. A yearning for permanence, captured in this silver gelatin print. It’s an untitled portrait of a couple by Martin Schweig. Editor: It’s undeniably charming. It also reads to me as a document of a certain social expectation and performance from the mid-20th century. Curator: Definitely. The formality, the forced smiles. But look closer, at the way their hands meet. There's a tenderness that transcends the pose. Editor: And how interesting to see it marked as a 'proof'. The 'real' image, I suppose, was destined for an album, to solidify that public image. Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe this captured a fleeting truth the finished version couldn't. The beauty in the imperfection. Editor: I suppose every image, finished or not, only tells a partial story. It's our job, as viewers, to try and read between the lines. Curator: Indeed. And sometimes, the 'proof' reveals more than the polished product ever could.