Ideal Head of a Boy (George Spencer Fuller) 1864 - 1873

George Fuller created this oil on canvas painting, Ideal Head of a Boy, in the United States sometime during his career. The painting presents us with a dark background with a boy's head and shoulders fading out of the darkness. What does it mean to call this the 'ideal' head of a boy? It suggests Fuller was interested in more than just representing an individual. He invokes a classical idea of beauty, perhaps recalling the art academies that shaped artistic taste in Europe and were becoming more important in America at this time. The fuzzy, indistinct quality also hints at a kind of romanticism, perhaps echoing a sense of loss for earlier times. We can only speculate as to Fuller's intentions without further historical research, perhaps into exhibition reviews and records of the artist's statements. But what is clear is that this work reflects the values of a specific time and place. Fuller challenges us to think about how institutions and cultural values shape the production and reception of art.