['Skull and Bones Hall', 'Scroll and Key Hall', 'Psi Upsilon Hall', 'Delta Kappa Epsilon Hall'] before 1882

These are four photographic prints by James Notman depicting the halls of Yale University's secret societies. The consistent use of monochrome tonality across the collection evokes a mood of austerity. Each structure is presented frontally, which emphasizes the architectural form, and there is a clear effort to capture their distinct characteristics through careful composition. The play of light and shadow sculpts the facades, and the varying textures, from the ivy-clad Skull and Bones Hall to the neoclassical lines of the Scroll and Key Hall, contribute to each building's identity. These images invite us to consider how these halls embody power and exclusivity. The architectural details speak to a visual language of tradition. The halls are not merely buildings, but are rather signifiers that communicate the values and the hidden structures within Yale's elite circles.