Horace Mann c. 19th century

Editor: So, this is Hezekiah Wright Smith's portrait of Horace Mann. It's a print, and its tight focus really makes you lock eyes with the subject. What can we learn from viewing this work? Curator: Think about Mann's role as an education reformer. How might this image function within the social and political landscape of 19th-century America? It projects authority, certainly. Editor: Authority? How so? Curator: Well, consider the formal attire and the direct gaze. Those signifiers can contribute to the construction of power. How does this compare to images of other reformers, especially concerning race and gender? Editor: That's a good point. It seems to reinforce a specific kind of leadership. I hadn't considered how the image itself might perpetuate certain power dynamics. Curator: Exactly. Art doesn't just reflect, it participates.