Male Nude Holding an Object 19th-20th century

Curator: Here we have Denman Waldo Ross’s small drawing in pencil, titled *Male Nude Holding an Object*, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: My first impression is that it feels very academic, almost like an exercise in form. The nude is enveloped in geometrical lines and shapes. Curator: Indeed. The visible grid system is quite intriguing. Ross was deeply interested in theories of design and color harmony. It almost feels as though he’s trying to discover the underlying structure of the human form, not just represent it. Editor: Precisely, those lines are not random, right? The man looks self-contained, but is the object important, or merely an aspect of form? It's almost a cypher, or like one of those enigmatic objects held by figures in Renaissance paintings. Curator: That’s a great point, it could symbolize power or perhaps vulnerability. I am just glad that we can have it here with us and share it with the world.