Untitled (older couple posing with five others in living room decorated for Christmas) 1955

Curator: This photograph, currently titled "Untitled," was created by Martin Schweig and is part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. It captures a group of seven individuals in a festive, domestic setting. Editor: Wow, it's ghostly! Like looking at Christmas through a veil, or maybe a half-remembered dream. The stark contrast gives it such an eerie stillness. Curator: Considering it's a black and white negative, the high contrast is certainly striking. It might tell us something about how portraiture was viewed and practiced in smaller photographic studios at the time. Editor: Perhaps. Or maybe it’s about the performance of family at Christmas. All dressed up, posing stiffly. It’s like they’re trying too hard to be perfect for the camera, but the negative is telling the truth. Curator: It’s a fascinating glimpse into a private moment made public. Editor: Absolutely! A glimpse of a holiday memory, distorted. It makes me think of all the forgotten Christmases, floating just beyond our reach.