Joseph Ogden Pierson c. 1838 - 1840

Editor: This is a portrait of Joseph Ogden Pierson, attributed to Jacques Guillaume Lucien Amans. It feels very formal, almost imposing. What can you tell me about the cultural context of portraits like this? Curator: These portraits, displayed in homes or institutions, were powerful status symbols. Consider the politics of representation – who had access to commissioning these portraits, and whose image was being immortalized? This work tells us as much about those excluded from this type of visibility. Editor: So, it reflects a specific power dynamic of the time? Curator: Precisely. And who gets to decide whose stories are visually preserved and celebrated through art? Food for thought. Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. Thanks!