Untitled (two girls sitting at little table in front of fireplace) c. 1950

Editor: This photograph by Lucian and Mary Brown, titled "Untitled (two girls sitting at little table in front of fireplace)," is rather curious. It feels very staged, yet personal at the same time. What strikes you about it? Curator: This photograph is fascinating when we consider it in the context of gender and domesticity. The girls are positioned within a space traditionally associated with women, yet the inverted tonality disrupts any easy reading of idyllic childhood. Who are they performing for, and what narratives are being subverted here? Editor: So you see this as a commentary on societal roles? Curator: Precisely. The photograph, with its unsettling inversion, seems to question the perceived innocence and confinement often associated with childhood and female identity. Do you see any other elements that contribute to this feeling? Editor: Now that you mention it, the airplane photograph above the mantle really stands out! Curator: Exactly! Juxtaposing domesticity with aviation introduces themes of aspiration. Considering the artists' biography, perhaps it invites us to consider how gender informed their artistic choices, and the availability of opportunities for women at the time. Editor: I never would have picked up on that. Thanks for pointing out those themes.