Untitled (girl with blanket on road) c. 1930s

Curator: This is Dorothea Lange's "Untitled (girl with blanket on road)," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels so heavy, this image. The girl's clutching the blanket like it's all she has, and that stark landscape behind her... desolate. Curator: Lange made many such photographs during the Depression, often under the auspices of the Farm Security Administration. The picture is a study in vulnerability against the backdrop of economic hardship. Editor: The blanket almost seems to grow, like a shroud trailing behind her. The old car in the background just emphasizes the bygone era, adding to the somber mood. Curator: Absolutely. Lange’s photographs became powerful tools in advocating for social change and documenting the effects of government policies. Editor: It makes you wonder about her future. I see resilience in her posture, though, despite everything. Curator: The impact of Lange’s unflinching portrayal of poverty is profound, then and now. Editor: Yes, it stirs a strange mix of sorrow and respect. This image and the girl in it continue to haunt and inspire.