Mrs. George P. Burne 1852

Curator: Standing before us is a photograph titled "Mrs. George P. Burne," captured around 1852 by John Wood Dodge. There's an incredible serenity emanating from this oval portrait, don't you think? Editor: Indeed. My first thought goes to the remarkable, almost ghostly, luminescence. I wonder what sort of labor went into preparing the photographic materials, like the plates and chemicals for creating such a soft portrait. Curator: It’s haunting in a way. It’s romantic, but the details feel incredibly modern at the same time. I wonder what Mrs. Burne thought of seeing herself rendered in such stark detail for what seems like the first time ever. Editor: One can almost imagine the artist mixing collodion and silver nitrate under a dim red light—that’s quite the skilled, labor-intensive process. That brooch, for example, glitters with potential meaning—what was it made of and what materials were used? Was the adornment strictly aesthetic or did it serve to signify familial or societal standing, etc.? Curator: Her jewelry catches my eye, too! And that incredible white bonnet, as delicate as sea foam, framing her face. It reminds me of stories about women pressing flowers. It's capturing something ethereal and yet quite earthly about beauty at once. Almost as if to imply that she is not vain, only aware. Editor: The image raises interesting questions about class, too. Only the upper classes could afford to get a photograph taken back then, right? Mrs. Burne appears rather well-kept, what kind of consumption were they able to participate in, who did she rely on? I wonder, also, how she perceived the rapid advancements in image production taking place at this point. Curator: Yes, it’s a statement in its own right. She must have possessed a deep sense of awareness—like standing at the cusp of change, both for herself and the entire world. To have a moment memorialized like this when photography was not only an innovation, but something otherworldly must have felt quite profound. Editor: I agree. In that respect, perhaps a photograph says as much about material circumstances as it does about artistic choices and personal expression. Considering this photo in relation to materiality definitely emphasizes how class, and consumption would determine Mrs. Burne’s reality, her representation and legacy, too. Curator: Absolutely, it really underscores how the tangible details can so poignantly tell so much about her, us, life itself, really. I shall revisit the image again sometime soon with even more scrutiny. Editor: Me too.