Untitled c. 1930

Curator: Anton Bruehl’s small photograph at the Harvard Art Museums presents a rather arresting image of labor. The piece remains untitled. Editor: There’s something undeniably striking about the composition; the stark shadows and the aerial perspective lend it a sense of drama and even isolation, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Precisely. The angle really emphasizes the division of labor; the figure standing in the street, separate from the horse pulling the cart laden with… what appears to be flowers? Editor: Yes, and note the interplay of light and shadow. The tonal range, the lines, create this compelling geometric pattern. It's almost abstract. Curator: It asks us to consider the material conditions of floristry, the processes of urban economies. Editor: And perhaps how the artist is capturing these fleeting moments of life, framing the ordinary to see its inherent beauty. Curator: It’s really quite interesting seeing the different elements and what their relations are; the materials and the context... Editor: It’s a small print, but seeing the image up close reveals some details that hint at the bigger picture.