Seated Sketch of Nelson 1925

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross's "Seated Sketch of Nelson." It looks like it's a pencil drawing on paper, and the artist has included a geometric grid in the background. What is your take on this piece? Curator: The visible process is key here. Note the inscription: this wasn't just a sketch, but a deliberate exercise, "drawn with the triangle of √5." The means of production are exposed. This points to a conscious elevation of craft. How does that materiality change your understanding? Editor: It makes me think about the artist as a craftsman working with tools and geometry, not just inspiration. I guess I hadn't thought about a drawing in those terms before. Curator: Exactly. The artist foregrounds the method, revealing the constructed nature of the image. Consider, too, how this challenges traditional notions of art making. It's a thoughtful piece about production itself.