Untitled (Three women standing with goat) c. 1950

Curator: This small black and white photograph, of unknown date, by Jack Gould, is titled "Untitled (Three women standing with goat)." It's part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It's unsettling! The inverted tones give it an eerie, dreamlike quality. The figures look almost spectral. Curator: Gould's work often captured everyday scenes, reflecting mid-century American life, but with a twist. The women's attire, the goat—it evokes a sense of ritual or performance. Editor: Absolutely. It's begging for interpretation, especially with the women's obscured identities and the animal presence. What social commentaries might Gould be hinting at here? Are we looking at a critique of gender roles or perhaps a statement about societal expectations? Curator: It's difficult to say definitively without more context about Gould's intentions or the period in which it was created, but it certainly opens a window into the cultural anxieties and curiosities of the time. Editor: Exactly. It reminds us that art is never created in a vacuum. It's always responding to and shaping the world around it. Curator: A thought-provoking, ambiguous image, perfect for inspiring dialogue. Editor: It certainly gives us a lot to chew on.