Untitled (Eugenie Stoll wearing hat and long dress) c. 1935

Curator: This is an untitled photograph by C. Bennette Moore, residing in the Harvard Art Museums, depicting Eugenie Stoll wearing a hat and long dress. Editor: It has an ethereal quality, almost like a ghostly apparition, with the figure seemingly emerging from the darkness. The inverted tones really play with perception. Curator: It's a fascinating example of early photographic portraiture. Moore likely captured this using a glass plate negative, a process that would have been quite novel at the time. The presentation of the child Eugenie Stoll in this photograph reveals the high status in society that she would have occupied. Editor: The stark contrast highlights the textures—the ruffles of the dress, the folds of the hat. It really emphasizes the material presence despite the ghostly effect. Curator: The formality of the pose and dress, combined with the photographic method, speak to the evolving representation of childhood in visual culture. Photography allowed for a more accessible means of portraiture, but also reinforced certain social hierarchies. Editor: It's a captivating image, regardless. The tension between light and shadow creates a striking visual experience. Curator: Indeed, it's a powerful reminder of how photography both reflected and shaped social realities.