Portrait of a Young Man 1931

Editor: This is "Portrait of a Young Man" by Denman Waldo Ross, currently at the Harvard Art Museums. I’m struck by its immediacy. It feels so raw and intimate. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The intense orange backdrop forces us to confront the figure. It speaks to a specific moment in art history when representing the male form was shifting, especially within academic institutions like Harvard. What public role do you think this portrait might have played, considering its display in the Harvard Art Museums? Editor: Perhaps it was an exercise in portraying masculine beauty, challenging or reinforcing societal norms? Curator: Exactly. It's a conversation about representation, power, and who gets seen within these spaces. Editor: I hadn't thought about the socio-political implications. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure! Art always reflects the society that creates and displays it.