Untitled (family portrait) c. 1945

Editor: Here we have an untitled family portrait by John Deusing. It's a striking photographic negative, and the stark contrast creates a somewhat eerie feeling. What formal elements stand out to you? Curator: The reversal of light and dark immediately commands attention, doesn’t it? Notice how the composition directs our gaze—the subjects are arranged hierarchically, with the older figures elevated. Observe the texture created by the photographic process itself, and how it alters our perception of depth and form. Editor: It's fascinating how the negative transforms familiar forms! Is the medium the entire message here? Curator: Not entirely, but the materiality is crucial. The photograph's very being as a negative underscores absence and inversion. These techniques impact our reading of the subjects' expressions, and our ability to interpret the relationships between them. Editor: This has certainly shifted my perspective on photographic portraiture. Curator: Indeed. By attending to form, we unveil deeper layers of meaning.