At the Auction 

Daniel Greene painted this oil on canvas titled, "At the Auction". Greene’s painting invites us to consider how spaces of commerce can also be stages for social performance. The individuals here are composed in such a way as to represent a stratified society. Note the sartorial choices, the body language, and the gazes that do—or do not—meet. Who has the power? Who is performing for whom? Greene, who was committed to representational painting, once noted that he sought to capture the “dignity of ordinary people.” Yet, there is a tension here: are we, the viewers, also implicated in this social hierarchy? Is the act of observing and interpreting this scene a reflection of our own biases and assumptions? How do we negotiate the complex dynamics of observation, representation, and judgment that Greene presents? Ultimately, this work remains a poignant reflection on the ways we construct and perceive social and economic power, inviting us to reflect on our own roles within these systems.