Study of a Man, Mexico 19th-20th century

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross's watercolor, "Study of a Man, Mexico," housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It feels so loose and spontaneous! What do you see in this piece? Curator: I'm drawn to the materiality here. Ross's quick watercolor technique seems almost like a form of artistic labor itself, capturing a fleeting moment of work. How does that immediacy reflect the man's own labor, his engagement with the land? Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered the connection between the artist's process and the subject's labor. Curator: The lack of precise detail and the speed of execution might suggest a casual observation, or perhaps a commentary on the perceived value of labor itself. It makes you wonder about Ross's intent. Editor: It definitely gives me a lot to think about in terms of representation and artistic choices. Curator: Indeed, considering the means of production gives us new insights.