Untitled (children in church) 1948

Curator: This photograph, currently titled "Untitled (children in church)," is by John Deusing and resides at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The piece is arresting, almost ghostly, but with an undeniable feeling of innocence. Curator: Indeed, the high contrast creates a striking visual field, emphasizing the rigid symmetry of the group and the architectural setting. Note the composition, the way the children are framed by the pews. Editor: They're lined up like little soldiers. It's poignant. I wonder what was going through their minds, being posed like that. Curator: Perhaps it reveals the social structures of the time, the expectations placed on children within a religious institution. The work invites a deep meditation on faith. Editor: Yes, it's a powerful image. Makes you think about faith, and childhood, and how those two things intertwine.