Untitled (two little girls on couch) c. 1950

Curator: This is an intriguing gelatin silver print, "Untitled (two little girls on couch)" by Lucian and Mary Brown, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It measures about 4 by 5 inches. The inverted tones create a rather ghostly feeling, don't you think? Editor: It does. It makes me think about the cultural significance of photography at this time. What were the social conditions when it was taken, and what role did photography play in shaping social perceptions? Curator: The texture of the couch is fascinating – it seems to dominate the composition, almost swallowing the children. I’m curious about the material reality of that object; what did it mean to possess such furniture? Editor: Good question! And who were these children? What was their family's position, and how would that position be reflected in the way they were photographed and presented to the public, or to themselves? Curator: Perhaps considering the Kodak branding visible on the photograph’s edge, we could discuss the democratization, and also the industrialization, of image-making. Editor: Exactly. Understanding the societal landscape of image production allows us to grasp the historical implications of even a seemingly simple snapshot like this.