[Brick architecture in Lübeck] c. 1930s

Curator: This piece, "Brick Architecture in Lübeck," attributed to Laurence Feininger, presents a stark yet compelling view. It’s a small work, just 3.5 by 2.5 cm, currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels… spectral. Like a ghost city, a memory fading, all sharp angles and monochrome dread. Curator: Consider the socio-political context of Europe at the time. Architecture, particularly in northern Germany, represented not just shelter, but also power, trade, and civic identity. Editor: It makes me think about alienation. The high contrast and inverted tones almost strip the humanity away, leaving only the facades. Curator: Precisely, and Feininger, through his lens, may be questioning those power structures, hinting at their fragility, their potential for shadow. Editor: Maybe it's about impermanence. Everything we build, every structure, will eventually crumble or be cast in a new light. Curator: A poignant thought. The photograph as a document becomes an artifact itself. Editor: Exactly! It's like holding a tiny, haunted world in the palm of your hand.