Untitled (woman wearing white night cap with gold trim) 1961

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Jack Gould, held at the Harvard Art Museums. It shows a woman wearing a nightcap with gold trim. Editor: She looks almost like she is in costume. I am struck by the intimacy of the shot. It feels like a stolen moment, a private world made public. Curator: The nightcap places the image within a specific historical context of sleepwear and domesticity, reflecting perhaps on gender roles and social expectations. Editor: Absolutely, and it also raises questions about performance and identity. Is she playing a role, or is this a genuine glimpse into her life? The details of the lace and the ribbon also add a layer of artifice. Curator: The lack of a specific date complicates how we read this image. Is it a contemporary piece reflecting on history, or a period photograph? This question is critical to the work's meaning. Editor: It makes you think about how we frame and consume images of women across different eras, and how easily those frameworks can shift. Thank you. Curator: Thank you.