[Thomas Eakins's Dog Harry and Another Setter] 1880s

Editor: Okay, here we have Thomas Eakins' gelatin silver print, “[Thomas Eakins's Dog Harry and Another Setter],” from the 1880s. It’s striking how intimate this feels, like a glimpse into a quiet moment with these two gorgeous dogs. I am wondering, what pulls you into this piece? Curator: Well, first off, those pups! They've got a certain gravity, don’t they? Eakins really captures their… essence. And for me, it's that gorgeous, almost palpable light that he wrangles from the gelatin silver process, like he's painting with light. Don't you think that light gives everything such dimension and tone? Does the staging—with its interesting geometry—reveal something to you about Eakins' mindset or the purpose of making the piece? Editor: I see what you mean. The light really softens the edges and creates a kind of dreamlike quality. I wonder if that was intentional. It's almost painterly, despite being photography, what about you? Curator: Exactly! He was straddling both worlds, which was typical Eakins! He was experimenting, always pushing the boundaries of realism in both painting and photography. Maybe he wanted to legitimize photography as an art form, putting it on par with painting. Does it make you ponder photography’s relationship to fine art during that period? Editor: It definitely does! I hadn't really considered how photographers in that time were making such artistic statements through portraiture. Curator: And you know, seeing it again through your eyes is sparking a fresh thought—Eakins capturing those quiet moments, isn't it like poetry in still-life-photography? He's telling their stories in a very gentle way. Editor: Definitely. I’ll be chewing on this for weeks, maybe even bring this into my photo class! Thank you! Curator: Likewise. I learned as much from you!