Untitled (man in suit and hat standing on stairs) c. 1950

Curator: This untitled photograph by Jack Gould, housed at the Harvard Art Museums, presents a man in a suit and hat standing on a staircase. It's a small work, only about 5.7 x 5.7 cm. The high contrast is striking, almost ghostly. Editor: It really emphasizes the class divides inherent in the ‘American Dream’ at that time, especially given the WPA era advertisement on the door. The suit signifies aspiration, but the shadowy staircase could represent the obstacles to upward mobility. Curator: I see that, especially given the medium. The photograph itself as a reproducible technology democratizes portraiture, it’s a direct indexical record, while simultaneously it’s framed by the elite interior. Editor: It’s a powerful juxtaposition; it reminds us that access to prosperity and even representation wasn’t equally distributed. What do you make of that advertisement? Curator: Given the context of material scarcity and war bonds, it underscores how even personal identity was being leveraged for national goals, commodifying the individual for the collective good. Editor: Absolutely. It speaks to how art can reflect and reinforce dominant ideologies. Overall, the piece has really given me some things to think about. Curator: Me too. This small photograph really packs a punch.