Untitled (two men and two women posed in studio) c. 1945

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by John Deusing, found in the Harvard Art Museums’ collection. It captures two men and two women formally posed in a studio setting. Editor: It’s striking how the photographic negative creates such an eerie effect. The reversed tonality lends an almost ghostly quality to the figures and the studio backdrop. Curator: This photograph, though lacking explicit dating, speaks volumes about the social rituals of portraiture and public presentation. The formal attire and studied poses reflect a desire for upward mobility. Editor: I'm fascinated by the materiality of the photograph itself. It's not just the image, but also the process of creating it. The photographer is clearly engaged in crafting a kind of presentation for these individuals. Curator: Indeed. The studio becomes a stage, and the subjects are performing roles dictated by societal expectations and the emerging mass media of the time. Editor: It makes you wonder about the labor involved—the photographer setting up, the subjects carefully posing. The final product is the culmination of so much work. Curator: It really illuminates the intersection of personal identity and public image, and how photography was shaping both. Editor: Absolutely. The image’s ghostly feel makes us reconsider its place and purpose.