Massachusetts Avenue, Harvard Square (College House?) 1861 - 1866

Editor: This is a photograph, "Massachusetts Avenue, Harvard Square (College House?)," by George Kendall Warren. The oval framing draws my eye. What does this image tell us about the materials and labor involved in creating this view of Harvard Square? Curator: Notice how the photographer uses the relatively new technology of photography, a process requiring specific chemicals and equipment, to document the architecture and commercial activity of Harvard Square. How does that interplay of technology and subject matter reflect broader social and economic changes occurring at the time? Editor: That makes me wonder about the intended audience and how they might have perceived this image. Curator: Exactly! It provokes questions about production, consumption, and the rapidly changing urban landscape. Thanks for helping me see that again!