Untitled (two couples dancing) c. 1950

Curator: This is John Howell’s photograph, *Untitled (two couples dancing)*, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: What a strangely haunting image! The inversion of light and shadow gives it an almost spectral quality. Curator: Indeed. Notice how Howell uses the stark contrast to emphasize the figures' postures, creating a dynamic interplay of shapes. The composition is brilliantly balanced. Editor: For me, the reaching hands form an arch, a liminal space—a gateway to some shared emotional experience. The patterns on their clothing, though inverted, speak to a time of domesticity and social ritual. Curator: And the photograph's small scale draws you in, demanding close inspection of its tonal range and geometric relationships. Editor: I find myself pondering the symbolism of dance—connection, vulnerability, and the ephemeral nature of joy. Curator: Ultimately, it's a successful formal exercise in capturing light, shadow, and movement. Editor: Yes, and it evokes a powerful sense of memory—a ghostly echo of connection and celebration.