Untitled (Eugenie Stoll looking out of window) c. 1935

Curator: This is an untitled photograph, believed to be of Eugenie Stoll, looking out of a window. It was taken by C. Bennette Moore. Editor: What immediately strikes me is the tonal inversion; it almost feels like looking at a photographic negative, creating an otherworldly effect. Curator: The high contrast enhances the dreamy aesthetic. The image is part of a larger cultural interest in representing childhood innocence and domesticity. Editor: The framing is also critical. The window acts as a proscenium, staging Eugenie's gaze. And I notice how the soft focus on her face contrasts with the sharply rendered window frame. Curator: Yes, and this representation may reflect contemporary notions of childhood as a separate, sheltered space, seen through the lens of early photographic technology and aesthetic preferences. Editor: It's a beautifully composed piece, that negative impression really gives it an ethereal, timeless quality. Curator: It makes us reflect on how photographic technology mediated social perceptions of childhood.