Standing Male Nude with Hands Behind his Back 19th-20th century

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross’s “Standing Male Nude with Hands Behind his Back”, a pencil drawing. It is not dated but is part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. I find the geometric under-drawing quite striking. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The geometric structure immediately suggests a late 19th or early 20th-century academic approach. The nude, a long-standing subject in art history, is here presented as a study, perhaps for a larger composition. Consider the power structures inherent in depicting the human form. Editor: So, the academic approach almost objectifies the figure? Curator: Precisely. The historical context of art education and the male gaze cannot be ignored. It prompts us to question who has the power to represent whom, and for what purpose. Editor: That’s a really interesting point; the cultural context makes me view the image differently. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It’s vital to see art as part of a larger social and political conversation.