Portrait of a Young Man 1928

Editor: This is "Portrait of a Young Man" by Denman Waldo Ross. It's an oil painting, roughly 14 by 10 inches. The subject's expression is quite melancholic. What stands out to you about this piece? Curator: The sitter’s ambiguous gaze speaks volumes. What identity is being performed here, and for whom? Ross was deeply invested in aesthetic theory, and the choice to depict this young man, absent explicit markers of class or profession, invites us to consider the male gaze and the constructed nature of identity. Editor: So, you're suggesting the painting challenges conventional portraiture by questioning identity? Curator: Precisely. It prompts us to consider how power, representation, and visibility intersect. What did you take away from our discussion? Editor: I see now how the painting is more than just a portrait; it’s a commentary on the social constructs that define us.