Untitled (bust length portrait of man with moustache labeled Albert Thompson Perkins) 1886 - 1887

Curator: I find something melancholic in this sepia-toned portrait, a softness that belies the sitter's otherwise stern expression. Editor: This photograph, currently titled "Untitled (bust length portrait of man with moustache labeled Albert Thompson Perkins)" comes to us from the Pach Brothers. It’s now part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Curator: The meticulous studio portraiture of the era – the formal attire, the carefully posed expression – often served to reinforce societal expectations of masculinity and class. This piece is no different. Editor: Absolutely, and the Pach Brothers were instrumental in shaping those visual codes. Their studio, prominently located on Broadway, catered to a clientele eager to participate in the construction of a very particular public image. Curator: It really makes me think about the performance of identity, especially considering photography’s role in both capturing and constructing these ideals. Editor: Indeed. This image reminds us of the constructed nature of even the seemingly most straightforward representation.