Untitled (baby in high chair) c. 1950

Editor: This is "Untitled (baby in high chair)" by Lucian and Mary Brown. It's a vintage photograph, quite small, and the inverted tones give it a surreal quality. What formal elements stand out to you? Curator: The negative tonality is striking, certainly. The composition centers on the stark geometry of the high chair, an almost architectural framework that contains the organic form of the child. The interplay between rigid lines and soft curves is quite pronounced. Editor: I see that contrast too. What does it suggest? Curator: Consider how the inverted light emphasizes certain textures – the fabric of the chair, the smooth skin of the child. The photograph invites us to dissect the relationship between these textures and their symbolic weight within the composition. What do you think? Editor: I never considered texture as symbolic, but it’s interesting to think about. Thanks!