Untitled (interior with gold carpeting) c. 1970s

Curator: This captivating image, simply titled "Untitled (interior with gold carpeting)," comes to us from Del Carlo Studio. It's held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought? Mid-century glamour, but with a distinctly unsettling stillness, like a stage set waiting for a play that will never begin. Curator: I agree; there is a palpable sense of suspended time. The gold carpeting, in particular, speaks to aspirations for luxury, while also potentially symbolizing material wealth becoming somewhat suffocating. Editor: And that dog! It's like Cerberus guarding the gates of… well, very plush domesticity. Is it a real dog, or an uncanny sculpture? It feels crucial to the image’s mood, somehow. Curator: The dog, real or imagined, does add a layer of complexity. Dogs are often symbols of loyalty and protection, here perhaps alluding to the protective, yet potentially isolating nature of wealth. Editor: Maybe it's a commentary on aspiration, or the gilded cage effect? Either way, I'm left wanting to know the story behind that doorway. Curator: Indeed, its symbolic weight is quite thought-provoking.