Untitled (baby in rocking chair holding teddy bear) c. 1950

Curator: This photograph, simply titled "Untitled (baby in rocking chair holding teddy bear)," was created by Lucian and Mary Brown. It's a small gelatin silver print, only about 4x5 inches. Editor: There’s something haunting about it, isn’t there? The stark contrast, the large eyes. It reads almost like a memento mori. Curator: I see that. And thinking about the time it was taken, that starkness might have been intentional. It evokes a certain historical consciousness about mortality rates. Editor: Definitely. And the teddy bear – it’s not just a toy, it's a stand-in. A symbol of comfort in the face of something bigger, scarier. A poignant reminder of childhood's fragility and its relationship to the larger world. Curator: Beautifully put. I think that interplay, between the personal and the historical, gives the image its lasting power.