The Madame B Album c. 1870s

Editor: Here we have "The Madame B Album" from around 1870, a photographic album now held at the Art Institute of Chicago. What strikes me is its intensely romantic feel; these oval portraits encircled by roses, thorns and all. What's your take? Curator: It's definitely a product of its time. The arrangement is a clear reflection of the Victorian era's obsession with sentimental portraiture and the codification of flowers. Albums like these weren't just family records; they were carefully curated displays of social standing. Editor: So, the placement, the framing, the subjects... it's all intentional? Curator: Precisely. The thorns mingled with roses—think about the visual and symbolic impact. Consider the socio-political function these images served, asserting class and familial ties through a very specific, constructed visual language. Notice that the thorns also imply a darker undercurrent in seemingly beautiful romantic portraits, don’t you think? Editor: Absolutely, the thorns disrupt the sweetness. How were albums like these actually *used* in society? Curator: Albums were often brought out during social visits. Displaying your album was a form of performing your identity, making very particular statements about yourself and your family. You can think of them as a version of the modern social media feed: always highly curated and presented in a certain light. It also defined who was 'in' and 'out'. Who was part of the inner circle. Editor: That’s such an interesting perspective! Seeing it as a very controlled narrative. It makes me rethink what photographs were 'supposed' to do. Curator: Exactly! And it invites questions about what gets included, what gets left out, and who controls the narrative. Albums were definitely not unbiased records of life. Editor: Thank you, I’ll never look at a family album the same way again.