Untitled (woman posing in hat, veil, wide lace collar) 1940

Curator: This arresting photographic negative, of dimensions roughly 8 by 10 inches, is attributed to Harris & Ewing, and presently held by the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Striking. The reversal of light and shadow lends an almost spectral quality to the subject, emphasizing the elaborate lace collar and the delicate netting veiling her face. Curator: Indeed, the veil. In many cultures, it's a symbol of modesty, but also of hidden knowledge, a liminal space between the seen and unseen. Her direct gaze challenges that, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. The contrast is compelling, the intricate details of the lace amplified by the negative space, creating a complex interplay between texture and form. It's almost unsettling. Curator: Perhaps that unsettling feeling comes from the way that the fashions mark a moment in time, a specific memory, brought to us in this strange, inverted way. Editor: Well, whatever the source, the effect is intriguing. It reveals hidden aspects, making us question the reality of the image.