Untitled (milkman in horse-drawn carriage) c. 1920

Curator: This intriguing glass plate negative, presently held at the Harvard Art Museums, is called "Untitled (milkman in horse-drawn carriage)" by C. Bennette Moore. Editor: Haunting! It feels like a dream fading, the milkman caught between worlds. I love the ghostly afterimage quality. Curator: Glass plate negatives were instrumental in democratizing photography. They gave rise to the snapshot, altering how we perceived documentation and veracity. Editor: You know, it makes you wonder about his daily grind, literally. What kind of hopes or disappointments did he carry along with those milk jugs? I feel like I'm looking at a memory. Curator: Indeed. The very act of preserving an everyday moment elevates it, asking us to reconsider labor, class, and urban life. Editor: Right! An invitation to acknowledge these fleeting moments, the unsung people, the daily poetry. It's strangely beautiful. Curator: Well, perhaps its beauty lies in the way it encourages us to look beyond the surface and think more deeply about the past. Editor: Yes, exactly, it really sticks with you.