Sketch of David Crouching 1918

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross's "Sketch of David Crouching." The date is unknown. I am struck by the vulnerability captured in this simple sketch. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see the artist trying to capture the immediacy of the pose; perhaps Ross was intrigued by the tension and balance in the figure’s position. The subject is cropped closely, drawing us into his personal space. How does that make you feel? Editor: It does make me feel a bit like I'm intruding. But also, the sketch lines are so raw that I feel closer to the artist's process. Curator: Exactly! The artist shares an intimate moment. A fleeting sketch becomes a shared experience. Editor: I see what you mean. It's like we're both witnesses to his creative thought.