The Visitor 

Richard Lindner’s painting, *The Visitor,* presents us with a strangely formal encounter between a man in a top hat and a girl in a sailor dress, made sometime in the mid-20th century. Lindner was a German-American artist whose work often explored themes of urban alienation and sexual tension. Here, in a theatrical staging, the artist seems to be hinting at an illicit encounter between a child and a well-to-do gentleman. The visual codes of fashion and pose certainly speak to the social order of things. This might serve as a conservative critique of those undermining the status quo, or as a progressive critique of those upholding it. The power dynamic seems further underscored by the girl’s holding of what could be interpreted as a circus ringmaster’s hoop. But is she in control? Does she even notice the ‘visitor’ at all? As art historians, we often use sources like newspaper articles, diaries, letters and photographs to better understand an artist’s intentions and the socio-political context of their work. In this case, Lindner seems to be commenting on the social structures of his time, hinting at the anxieties and power dynamics that shape our interactions.