Untitled (boy sitting on armchair) c. 1950

Editor: So, this is an untitled photograph by Lucian and Mary Brown, showing a boy sitting in an armchair. It feels like a staged portrait. What do you make of it? Curator: The inverted tones almost give it the feel of an X-ray, stripping away the surface to reveal something beneath. The child’s smile, juxtaposed with this technique, raises questions about how we represent youth and innocence, especially within the power dynamics of portraiture. What stories are not being told here? Editor: That’s a compelling thought. I hadn’t considered the power dynamic. Curator: These images can speak volumes about cultural anxieties and ideals of the time, can't they? Think about how this representation might perpetuate certain ideas about childhood. Editor: Definitely something to consider. Thanks!