Untitled (two small girls and baby, white dresses) c. 1915

Editor: This eerie photograph, "Untitled (two small girls and baby, white dresses)" by Durette Studio, features what looks like two girls and a baby – though they may be dolls – rendered in ghostly inverted tones. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The photographic process itself is key. The negative format highlights the material production of the image. Consider the labor involved in posing the children or dolls, preparing the chemicals, and the printing process. It's less about the subjects and more about the means of production. Editor: So, it's the physicality of the image, rather than sentimentality, that's important? Curator: Precisely. How does the materiality challenge our expectations of portraiture? Editor: It definitely makes me think about the work behind it, not just the people depicted. Thanks!