Edmund Bigelow; verso: Portrait of a Seated Woman with Book 19th-20th century

Curator: This is Denman Waldo Ross’s portrait of Edmund Bigelow. It's quite striking, almost haunting, with those intense eyes and flushed cheeks. What do you make of it? Editor: The rosy cheeks certainly give him a youthful appearance. I'm drawn to the use of color. Is this painting speaking to idealized notions of beauty or health from that period? Curator: Perhaps. The rosy color could be symbolic of idealized beauty, yes, but the loose brushwork and the unfinished quality of the canvas edge feel very modern. The combination is quite interesting. Editor: Indeed. It’s as if Ross is challenging portraiture conventions even as he engages with them. I find this piece surprisingly evocative. Curator: Yes, the layers of meaning certainly invite us to look closer, beyond the surface of the portrait. Editor: Agreed. It reveals how much the presentation and context of an image shapes our perceptions.