Portret van R.C. Morse before 1895

This undated portrait of R.C. Morse, made by an anonymous artist, resides within the pages of a book. What can this image, embedded in this context, tell us about the intersection of social and institutional forces in shaping identity? The portrait is found in a book about the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA). Likely made in the United States during the late 19th or early 20th century, this portrait participates in a broader cultural project of solidifying the YMCA's image. Morse's stern gaze and formal attire signal the values of respectability and moral uprightness that the YMCA sought to cultivate in young men. How does this portrait work to present an individual who embodies the organization's values? Understanding this artwork requires us to consider the role of institutions like the YMCA in shaping social norms and individual identities. To learn more, one might consult archival records of the YMCA, biographies of its leaders, and studies of the social history of American Protestantism. This approach allows us to understand how art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.