Untitled (couple posed sitting in front of Christmas tree looking at daughter) 1961

Curator: This is an untitled photograph of a family in front of a Christmas tree, taken by Martin Schweig. It's held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's fascinating. The stark contrast gives it a ghostly, almost dreamlike quality, despite the domestic scene. Curator: The image size is only 10.16 x 12.7 cm. We have to consider the context of photographic materials available to Schweig, the photographic paper, and how the print itself becomes a record. Editor: Absolutely. The cultural performance of Christmas is key. This image seems to ask who is included and who is excluded. It also raises many questions about the family, and the public role of photography in the mid-20th century. Curator: It does make you think about mass production and consumption during that period. Editor: A good point. Schweig's photograph speaks volumes about the complexities embedded in a seemingly simple family portrait. Curator: Indeed.