Untitled (studio portrait, small children in winter clothes) c. 1910

Curator: The image before us, from the Durette Studio, is an untitled photographic portrait of three children dressed in winter clothing. Editor: The stark contrast between light and shadow gives this piece a haunting, almost spectral quality, doesn't it? Curator: Indeed. The inversion of tone draws attention to the textures: the plush fabrics, the intricate patterns of their garments. It really emphasizes the materiality of the negative. Editor: I'm struck by the stiff formality, so typical of early studio portraits. It speaks volumes about the social conventions surrounding childhood and image-making at that time. Curator: The composition, however, is fairly straightforward. Three figures arranged symmetrically around a central axis. The light source seems to be coming from above. Editor: I'm left with a sense of unease, but also great curiosity about these children and the stories their image holds within the wider history of childhood representation. Curator: A fascinating interplay of form and context, really.