Untitled (close-up portrait of a deceased woman wearing a pearl necklace) 1945 - 1949

Curator: This is John Deusing's "Untitled (close-up portrait of a deceased woman wearing a pearl necklace)," part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. The image itself measures about 8 by 10 inches. Editor: Oh, wow. There's such serenity in her face, almost otherworldly. The pearls seem to glow against the stark fabric around her. Curator: The photograph itself as a medium is fascinating here. Consider the social context of memorial photography and its production in relation to mourning practices. Editor: It does make me think about how we memorialize people. Is this a way of holding onto something tangible? Does it say something about the place of women in the family and society? Curator: Perhaps it is a commodity, an object of memory, where the pearl necklace and floral arrangement become signifiers of status and remembrance. Editor: I like how it balances on that line between intimate and formal. It makes you think about your own relationships with loved ones who have passed. Curator: Absolutely. It prompts reflection on the materials of memory and how we construct narratives around death. Editor: A poignant piece, full of quiet contemplation.