Untitled (unidentified sitter) c. 1858

Editor: This is an untitled portrait by John Adams Whipple. The sitter is unknown, and it's an early photographic print. It feels very formal, reserved. What strikes you when you look at this portrait? Curator: Well, immediately I’m drawn to the gaze and the context of early photography. What did it mean to have your portrait taken then? It wasn't a casual act. It was a statement of identity, class, and aspiration. How does that tension between representation and reality shape our understanding of the sitter? Editor: So, it's not just a face, but a carefully constructed persona? Curator: Exactly. And who gets to construct that persona? Who is represented in these early photographs, and whose stories are missing? Understanding that power dynamic is crucial. Editor: I never thought about portraiture that way. It's more than just capturing a likeness.