One of the many functions that photography possesses is the tangible depiction of what the world has looked like through different eras. By looking at old photographs, we are allowed access to previous generations, that we may or may not have lived through. This photograph, found at a thrift store in Philadelphia, is a perfect illustration of this point. This anonymous and rather average family portrait is extremely rich in descriptive information. It describes the decorative and personal styles of the subjects, as well the general aesthetic of the time. This photograph may very well feel dated, but that's it most redeeming quality. If cultural aesthetics never changed, then photographic history would be visually static.
-Ben Alper
Photographer Unknown
