Complimentary glazing on stretched canvas & African Americana, through October 15

DAY-OLD ART ESSAYS

Historic Photography

Close looking, visual history, and the interpretive choices that bring historic photographs into the present.

← All essays
Harlem 1932
ESSAY

What to Do With Old Photographs

A calm, practical way to sort inherited photographs, protect the ones that matter, and let their stories keep moving.

Read the essay →
Side-by-side portrait of Betty Jean: the damaged original photograph and its restored, colorized interpretation.
ESSAY

Colorized Historical Photos: A Thoughtful Way to Look

How color changes the way we meet an old photograph, and what a careful viewer should notice before drawing conclusions.

Read the essay →
Filming the Roar of the MGM Lion 1929
ESSAY

How to Preserve Old Photographs Without Harm

A practical collector's guide to handling, storing, scanning, and displaying old photographs with care.

Read the essay →