Dimensions: 42.6 x 35.4 cm (16 3/4 x 13 15/16 in.)
Copyright: CC0 1.0
Editor: Here we have John H. Garo's "Untitled (portrait)" from the Harvard Art Museums. Looking at the sepia tones and the man's formal attire, I'm curious about the social context of portrait photography at the time. What can you tell me about this image? Curator: Consider Garo’s use of photography, a relatively new medium at the time. How does this influence the commissioning and consumption of portraits compared to painting? Was it about accessibility, class, or something else? Editor: It makes me think about who had access to commissioning portraits, maybe this was a step towards democratizing image-making? Curator: Precisely! And how does the mass production of photographs affect our understanding of labor and artistry in portraiture? Was Garo's work challenging traditional notions of art? Editor: That's something I hadn't considered! Thanks for helping me think about this artwork in a new way.
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