Male Nude with Head on Right Arm 1895

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross’s pencil sketch, Male Nude with Head on Right Arm. It’s interesting how vulnerable the pose feels, yet the sketch itself is so detached. What does this drawing tell us about the artist's perspective, and perhaps the societal norms regarding the male body at the time? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this piece through the lens of power and vulnerability. Who has the power to gaze? Who is being gazed upon? Ross's sketch, while seemingly classical in its subject, invites us to consider the dynamics inherent in the act of representation. How does this drawing either challenge or reinforce societal expectations around masculinity and the male gaze? Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way before. Thanks for making me rethink my interpretation! Curator: And thank you for your fresh perspective. It's in these dialogues that we uncover new layers of meaning.