Untitled (unidentified sitter) c. 1865

Editor: This is an intriguing, small, oval photograph, "Untitled (unidentified sitter)," probably from the mid-19th century, by George Kendall Warren. The gentleman’s profile seems so serious. What catches your eye about this portrait? Curator: The soft light, almost painterly, makes me think of daguerreotypes. I wonder about his story, frozen in time, his gaze directed away from us, lost in thought. This anonymity gives the image a universal quality, don't you think? Editor: That's a lovely way to put it. I was so caught up in trying to "place" him, I hadn't considered that universality. Curator: It is easy to become a detective. But perhaps the real subject here is time, memory, and the enduring mystery of human existence. Editor: Well, I will think about that on the way home. Thanks. Curator: You're very welcome.