Litharge (Evans Product) 1938

Curator: Here we have a photograph of "Litharge (Evans Product)", manufactured by the National Lead Company. Editor: It gives off a surprisingly melancholic vibe for an industrial object. The distressed metal and faded label speak of forgotten purposes. Curator: Indeed. National Lead Company, a major player in the lead industry, produced litharge, a lead monoxide used in various industrial applications. The photo itself gains meaning from its context within the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: So it's less about the litharge itself, and more about what it represents, right? Like, an artifact of industry, repurposed as art? Curator: Precisely. It invites us to consider the social and economic forces behind even the most utilitarian objects. Editor: I like that. It makes you wonder about all the hidden stories behind the things we take for granted.