Untitled (five children posed seated on chairs in front of large window) 1938

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by Martin Schweig, showing five children seated in front of a large window. It’s a gelatin silver print, measuring about 5 by 7 inches. Editor: Eerie! They look like ghosts, all glowing and stark. It reminds me of Victorian death photography, that strange formality. Curator: Yes, the high contrast certainly contributes to that effect. Family portraits were often about displaying social standing, reinforcing respectability. The window could symbolize opportunities... or limitations. Editor: I wonder what each of them dreamed of becoming. Maybe one wanted to run away and join the circus! Or be a race car driver, anything to escape those chairs. Curator: Perhaps. Schweig's choice to emphasize their stillness also says something about societal expectations. Editor: Well, I see resilience in their eyes too. I feel the quiet strength of potential, waiting for its moment.