Untitled (Portrait of Seated Man) 1845

Curator: Just look at this man, so clearly captured in light. What a gift from 1845! This "Untitled (Portrait of Seated Man)" daguerreotype at the Art Institute is haunting, really. It’s an incredible glimpse into the past, even if the artist remains anonymous. Editor: My first impression? Somber. There's a stillness that speaks volumes beyond just the technology of the time demanding it. He looks... contained. Curator: Contained is a brilliant word for it. Think about what it meant to sit for one of these things. He’d be pinned there. It’s so far removed from our endless selfies! But he has such poise. The folds of his coat, his hands so carefully placed… he’s presenting himself, absolutely. Editor: Absolutely. Presentation in early photography was inherently a political act. Consider the accessibility – or inaccessibility – of portraiture to various classes, genders, races in the 19th century. Who was afforded the dignity of representation? And what narratives did these images perpetuate? Curator: I always wonder what his story was. You look at that face, those clothes; he’s clearly a man of means. And I can’t help but imbue it with romance, with a touch of what do you call it… the myth of the individual. The great romantic hero quietly persevering, bottled emotion... even in a photograph. Editor: It's that very 'myth of the individual' that interests me. Daguerreotypes, though seemingly objective, are steeped in power dynamics. His social class granted him access to this technology and, by extension, a space in the visual archive, a privilege denied to many. His contained pose, you see, it perhaps represents an adherence to societal expectations, performative respectability in a time of enormous social change. Curator: Oh, I completely grant you all of that! But there is also the human element. Photography gave us realism in art in such a revolutionary way and to just see it frozen in time…it touches me deeply. Editor: The revolution continues, even now! Looking at art through a more questioning gaze. It allows us to remember all that has shifted but how much also has yet to. Curator: Beautiful. Thank you. I don’t think I will look at this photo quite the same way again. Editor: Hopefully for the better, opening many more windows than shutting.