Untitled (two portraits: one baby in bonnet, one without) c. 1940

Editor: This haunting, untitled photograph by John Deusing features two baby portraits. The light and shadow create an almost otherworldly feel. What symbols or cultural echoes do you notice? Curator: The bonnet, for instance, transcends mere function. It's a cultural marker, signifying innocence, protection, but also constraint, calling to mind how childhood and gender were historically framed. Doesn't it strike you as rather formal? Editor: Yes, almost severe for a baby! I hadn't considered the bonnet's symbolism like that. I was focused on the contrasting absence of one on the other child. Curator: The bareheaded child symbolizes a kind of freedom, perhaps? Or maybe vulnerability? The contrast invites us to consider the diverse paths and expectations laid upon them. Editor: I see, it's like a study in potential. Thank you, I'll never look at bonnets the same way again!