Untitled (baby dressed up as king or queen) c. 1950

Curator: This small photographic negative by Jack Gould depicts a baby dressed up as royalty. The exact date is unknown, but it resides in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's striking how the inversion of the negative lends a spectral quality to the image. The baby, adorned as royalty, appears almost ghostlike, unsettling. Curator: Indeed. The regal attire, however playful, carries significant weight. Historically, royal symbols—crowns, robes—assert power and authority. Here, they are placed upon an infant, perhaps alluding to inherited status or societal expectations. Editor: Or even the societal pressure on children to perform and achieve from a young age. Dressing the child this way could reflect the family's aspirations, but it also confines the child within pre-set roles. Curator: Perhaps. Either way, the image remains compelling, raising questions about power, innocence, and the symbols we imbue with meaning. Editor: Absolutely. A stark reminder of how even in childhood, the seeds of social constructs take root.