Male Nude, for Alexander the Great, after Ingres 1878

Editor: This is Georges Seurat's "Male Nude, for Alexander the Great, after Ingres." It's a detailed sketch and quite striking. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, I see Seurat wrestling with a master—Ingres. It’s like he's saying, "Okay, I'll do your classical thing, but I'll do it my way, with a touch of modernity." Do you feel that tension? Editor: I do, actually. So, he's both honoring and challenging tradition? Curator: Precisely! It's as if he's whispering, "I respect you, but I'm also going to break free." What a rebel, with a pencil! Editor: That's a great way to think about it; thanks! Curator: My pleasure! It's all about seeing the conversation between artists, don't you think?