Untitled (man in tractor) c. 1950

This photograph, "Untitled (man in tractor)" by Robert Burian, now residing in the Harvard Art Museums, encapsulates potent ideas about labor and technology. Though undated, its visual codes, like the tractor itself, speak to a specific history. The tractor is not merely a vehicle; it’s a symbol deeply entwined with the socio-economic shifts of the 20th century. Was this image made during a period of agricultural change? Was it an era of mechanization or a time of labor displacement? What does the tractor driver’s relaxed posture suggest? Is this a moment of leisure amidst work, or does it reflect a broader shift in agricultural practices? Understanding this image requires us to consider its institutional context. How did this photograph find its way into a museum collection? What narratives are privileged by its presence here? The task of the historian is to uncover these layers, drawing on sources ranging from agricultural records to cultural studies, to fully grasp the meaning embedded within this seemingly simple image.