Untitled (unidentified sitter) c. 1865

Editor: We’re looking at an untitled portrait by George Kendall Warren. It’s a mounted print. What strikes me is the detail considering the period. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Let's consider the photographic print itself as an object. The paper stock, the developing process...these weren't neutral choices. What social strata would have had access to this technology and level of portraiture? Editor: It’s interesting how even the materials speak to class. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, it shifts our focus from solely the subject to the means of its creation and consumption.