Untitled
c. 1938–60
A small gelatin silver print portrait of a smiling boy posed against a painted backdrop, made to record an affectionate, accessible likeness for family memory.
The boy’s candid, slightly mischievous smile and relaxed, leaning pose draw you in, while the warm gray tones and painted scenic backdrop soften the staged studio setting into a cozy, intimate moment.
Typical of mid‑20th‑century studio portraits, it shows how gelatin silver photography made personal likenesses widely attainable, blending commercial staging with private sentiment and the keeping of family identity.
Medium
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions
Approx. 2 × 2" (5.1 × 5.1 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of Peter J. Cohen
Accession
767.2017.302
Palette
Exhibitions
