Untitled (portrait of blond boy dressed in white holding bible and rosary) c. 1945

Editor: We're looking at an untitled photograph by John Deusing, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums, depicting a young boy in white holding a bible and rosary. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a complex intersection of innocence and imposed identity. The white clothing and religious objects speak to purity, but also to the societal expectations placed upon this child, particularly within a potentially religious framework. It prompts questions about how children are shaped by religious institutions and what that signifies. Editor: That's interesting. Curator: Consider the power dynamics at play. Who decided on this image, this portrayal? What narratives are being reinforced or challenged? It is a potent image for understanding the construction of identity through cultural artifacts. Editor: I never thought about it that way. It makes you wonder what his actual experience was. Curator: Exactly! It's a starting point for broader conversations about childhood, religion, and representation.