Untitled (lion on pedestal with St. Louis flag in mouth) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, featuring a lion on a pedestal with, strangely, the St. Louis flag in its mouth. It's…unsettling, almost surreal. What's your take on this? Curator: Oh, I love that "unsettling" is your gut reaction. For me, it sparks a whimsical, almost theatrical narrative. The lion, caged, yet proudly displaying the city's emblem, whispers of tamed power and civic pride, don't you think? Like a peculiar circus act, capturing the city's spirit. Editor: A circus act! I hadn't considered that. So, maybe it's about controlled spectacle, rather than just…a weird image? Curator: Exactly! And maybe, just maybe, a wry commentary on the performative nature of civic identity. What have we learned? Editor: That even the strangest image can reveal layers of meaning! Thanks!