Untitled (portrait of poodle) c. 1950

Editor: This is John Howell’s "Untitled (portrait of poodle)," a small photographic negative at the Harvard Art Museums. The reversed tones give it an eerie, almost unsettling feel. What can you tell me about its historical context? Curator: This image invites us to consider the social role of pets, particularly poodles, and photography's power to elevate them to art. The mid-20th century saw poodles rise in popularity, often associated with wealth and status. Does this photo reinforce or subvert those ideas, do you think? Editor: I see your point. The negative form certainly disrupts any simple reading of affluence. It's like a ghostly echo of that status. Curator: Exactly. Howell's photograph, by presenting the poodle in this unconventional way, prompts us to question the values and status symbols our society projects onto animals and art. It makes us think about how those values are constructed and maintained through visual culture. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It really does make you consider the image's deeper social implications. Curator: And that’s how art challenges us to think beyond the surface.