Untitled (family portrait in studio) c. 1940

Curator: This is an Untitled family portrait by John Deusing, held in the Harvard Art Museums. It measures about 5 by 4 inches. What strikes you about it? Editor: The starkness, definitely. The photographic negative gives it an almost ghostly quality. You can almost feel the presence of labor behind the studio lighting. Curator: It's interesting how studio portraiture served as a form of social documentation. Family portraits like these allowed people to present a specific image of themselves to the world. Editor: Right, and consider the materiality. The photographic process itself – the silver halide crystals, the developing chemicals – all contribute to this very manufactured image of family. Curator: The framing and composition are deliberate choices, reflecting the social conventions of the time. Note the carefully arranged placement of each member. Editor: And the clothing! The textiles speak volumes about class and aspiration. You can tell what the family valued and how they wished to be perceived. Curator: It provides a glimpse into the aspirations and values of a specific social group. Editor: Exactly. The final image we see here is the result of labor, material choices, and the conscious construction of identity.