Teaching Model from Chair Factory, St. Gabriel, Louisiana 25 - 1999

Deborah Luster made this tintype photograph, Teaching Model from Chair Factory, in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. This image feels like it’s emerged from a forgotten attic, all sepia tones and ghostly light. I love that the touch of the hand is so delicate. It makes you wonder, what stories could this miniature chair tell? Was it a salesman’s sample? Or a child’s beloved toy? Imagine Luster setting up her shot. A tiny stage, carefully arranging this chair, then placing a hand just so. Luster's work often deals with memory, loss, and history. This photograph makes me think about other photographers like Sally Mann, who use historical processes to evoke a sense of timelessness. Maybe Luster is doing something similar, using the tintype to whisper secrets from the past.