Portrait of an Unidentified Sitter 1938

Editor: This gelatin-silver print, simply titled *Portrait of an Unidentified Sitter*, was made around 1938. It’s at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, but its creator is anonymous, which is quite strange for a portrait, don't you think? There’s a real sense of dignity, and maybe even a touch of sadness in the sitter's expression... What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: It strikes me as a fascinatingly ordinary sort of portrait, if that makes any sense? The very anonymity, I think, invites a particular kind of looking, almost like people watching from a park bench. We fill in the blanks, project narratives. He could be a banker, a lawyer, an insurance salesman – perhaps all three rolled into one weary soul. What do you make of the light here? Editor: I noticed how the light defines the contours of his face, particularly around the eyes, emphasizing the lines etched there. It really draws your attention to the expression. Does that help individualize him, do you think, despite the title? Curator: Precisely. And consider the suit and tie – hallmarks of the professional class. But what *kind* of professional? A freshly minted grad, eager to climb the ladder? Or a seasoned veteran, burdened by years of paperwork and watered-down coffee? Editor: I suppose it’s up to each of us to imagine his story. Curator: And isn’t that the enduring power of a piece like this? The anonymity unlocks a different level of empathy, and suddenly, the image becomes a mirror reflecting fragments of our own stories. Editor: Absolutely! The more we look, the more the ‘unidentified sitter’ becomes, in some ways, everyone and no one.