David with Hands Raised 1923

Curator: Here we have Denman Waldo Ross's "David with Hands Raised," a drawing of around 35 by 21 centimeters, created in December 1923. Editor: It strikes me as a study in tension, a figure caught between support and strain. The sketchy lines convey a real sense of effort. Curator: Indeed, the figure of David, often associated with triumph, is here presented in a moment of apparent struggle. The raised hands, instead of celebrating victory, suggest a search for balance. Editor: The artist's use of angular lines and geometric scaffolding seems key. It's not just the figure's pose but the structure supporting it that communicates this precariousness. Curator: Perhaps it's about the psychological weight of heroism itself, the internal struggle beneath the celebrated surface. Editor: I see it now. Ross has made visible the very architecture of internal strain. Curator: A fitting reminder of how even our heroes are not immune to human vulnerability. Editor: Precisely, art reminding us there's structure to support us through the human condition.