Untitled (man and girl in formal attire) c. 1950

Curator: This small, undated photograph, credited to Lucian and Mary Brown and held at the Harvard Art Museums, depicts a man and a girl in formal attire. It almost looks like a negative. Editor: It's unsettling, dreamlike. The reversed tones give it this strange, ghostly presence. The figures are bathed in this ethereal glow, like a memory half-forgotten. Curator: Precisely. The reversal emphasizes the symbolism, perhaps unintentionally. Light and dark become interchangeable, suggesting a blurring of innocence and experience. The formal attire takes on a new meaning. Editor: It's like a distorted reflection of a bygone era. The girl's dress puffs around her, a cocoon of tulle, and the man’s pose, both protective and reserved, adds to the ambiguity. Are they going to the prom or a funeral? Curator: The lack of concrete details only amplifies its power. It's a potent reminder of the power of images to evoke, rather than simply represent. Editor: It leaves you wondering about the story behind the image, wanting to know so much more. It is the perfect picture, for a ghost story.