Portrait of a Young Man in a White Shirt 19th-20th century

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross’s "Portrait of a Young Man in a White Shirt," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. The brushstrokes in the shirt are so visible; I am struck by the texture. What can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Look at the layering of paint; what kind of labor went into creating this image? The materiality of the shirt itself—linen or cotton perhaps—speaks to the social context of the sitter. Consider the means of production both in the painting and the clothing. Editor: I see what you mean. The artist’s hand and the implied labor of creating and maintaining the clothes become very present. Curator: Precisely! By focusing on the process and materials, we shift our understanding from a mere representation to an engagement with the social and economic realities embedded within. Editor: That's a whole different way to view a portrait; thanks! Curator: My pleasure!