Cologne Profile c. 1959

Curator: This black and white photograph, around 38 by 49 centimeters, is called "Cologne Profile" by Chargesheimer, held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The image strikes me as stoic, almost monumental. The man's craggy features against the indistinct background create a powerful sense of presence. Curator: The profile view directs our gaze to the subject's expression, a visual symbol for resilience, perhaps alluding to the city's own rebuilding after the war. Editor: Chargesheimer's work often documented the reconstruction of Cologne, so this portrait becomes part of that larger narrative, the face of a city recovering. Curator: Indeed, that is a key part of its cultural memory. We see not just a man, but a symbol of endurance. Editor: The photograph really makes you think about the people shaping Cologne’s identity during that era.