Untitled (Eugenie Stoll in formal dress) c. 1945

Curator: C. Bennette Moore's small, untitled photograph captures Eugenie Stoll in formal dress. It's an arresting image. Editor: It really is. It has this otherworldly glow about it, almost like a dream. She looks so poised and yet vulnerable. Curator: These photographic portraits were often commissioned to assert social identity. Formal dress, poses, and backdrops all contributed to a performance of status. Editor: It makes me wonder about the real Eugenie behind that carefully constructed image. Was she excited about the dress? Did she enjoy having her picture taken? I imagine the answer to that is probably no. Curator: Perhaps. But this photograph freezes a moment. It opens a window into social portraiture. Editor: True. And lets us dream a little bit.