Woodbury Lowery (1853-1906) 1874 - 1875

Editor: Here we have William Notman's portrait of Woodbury Lowery. I'm struck by how this image, despite being a photograph, feels so staged and constructed. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, let's consider the context. Notman was a prominent studio photographer. These portraits, while seemingly straightforward, were often carefully constructed to project a certain social standing. What does Lowery's attire and pose suggest to you about his place in society? Editor: It definitely speaks to a certain level of affluence and education. Curator: Exactly. And think about how such images circulated, reinforcing existing power structures. It makes you wonder about the narratives being presented and who was being excluded, doesn't it? Editor: It does. I never thought of portraiture as a tool for reinforcing social narratives. Thanks for pointing that out!