Untitled (four children in formal attire on stone wall, one boy with guitar) c. 1950

Curator: This striking photographic negative, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums, is attributed to Lucian and Mary Brown and is titled "Untitled (four children in formal attire on stone wall, one boy with guitar)". Editor: The composition creates a somewhat unsettling mood. The inverted tones render the children’s expressions almost ghostlike, heightening the formality of their dress. Curator: Indeed. Consider the socio-economic context. These formal clothes suggest a striving for upward mobility, while the presence of the guitar might hint at aspirations for cultural capital through music. The children are performing respectability. Editor: I see that. But also, the photographic process itself is key. The negative reveals the alchemical transformation inherent in image-making, emphasizing the material reality beneath the surface of representation. Curator: Precisely. The image speaks to anxieties around class, race, and representation at a time when photography was becoming increasingly accessible. It is a moment pregnant with possibility and fraught with tension. Editor: Agreed. Examining the material and the social together opens up some useful avenues for thought. Curator: Yes, that’s what I thought as well.