Untitled (portrait of husband and wife in corner of room with woman wearing fur-lined coat and black hat) after 1935

Editor: This untitled photograph by Martin Schweig captures a husband and wife in what seems like a simple domestic setting. The woman's fur-lined coat strikes me, what does it say about their status, their role in society, and perhaps, even their aspirations? Curator: The fur coat immediately reads as a symbol of aspiration and perhaps social climbing, especially when we consider the historical context. Whose labor created it? And what anxieties might this display of wealth mask during a period of economic uncertainty? Editor: That's fascinating. So, it's not just about wealth, but also about the power dynamics embedded within the image itself? Curator: Exactly. It prompts us to consider the systems that enable such displays, and the social narratives they reinforce. The image performs status. Editor: I never would have thought about it that way. Curator: Thinking about art as a form of rhetoric helps us unpack these layers. Editor: That gives me a new way to appreciate photography and art history in general. Thanks.