[Man Serving Head on a Platter] 1895 - 1905

This photograph, made by William Robert Bowles around the turn of the 20th century, certainly makes an impression. It features an African American waiter serving a severed head to two seated gentlemen. What may seem at first glance like a shocking image is actually a staged scene, intended as a humorous commentary on social class and race. The photograph relies on the chemistry of silver halide crystals, applied to a paper support. The sepia tone, achieved through careful chemical processing, lends an antique feel to the image. The composition also plays on the conventions of formal portraiture, with the subjects carefully posed and the lighting meticulously arranged. But here’s where things get interesting: the artist has deliberately subverted these conventions to create a darkly satirical effect. The inclusion of the waiter, the grotesque presentation of the head, and the bemused expressions of the diners challenge the traditional power dynamics of the time. Bowles’s photograph prompts us to consider the social and cultural forces at play in its creation.