Edmund C. S. Bigelow 19th-20th century

Editor: Here we have Denman Waldo Ross’s portrait, "Edmund C. S. Bigelow," a striking image with that bold red background. There's something so direct and a bit unsettling about the gaze. How do you interpret this work? Curator: The red certainly makes a statement, doesn't it? Given Ross's interests in color theory, it begs the question: how does this intense background affect our perception of the sitter and the social implications of portraiture itself? Is it confrontational, or does it serve to highlight Bigelow's youth and vulnerability within a specific social context? Editor: I hadn't considered the societal implications of the red. Curator: These choices challenge the traditional function of portraiture as purely celebratory or commemorative, pushing us to consider broader cultural readings. Editor: I'll definitely look at portraits differently now.