The Goat Herder (also known as Mexican Boy) 1917

Robert Henri painted this portrait of a young boy wearing overalls, imbued with a forthright gaze. The directness of his stare is the most compelling symbol here, drawing from a long lineage of portraiture where the subject's eyes serve as a window into their soul. This intense gaze mirrors ancient Roman portrait busts, where verism—a hyper-realistic portrayal—aimed to capture the essence of the individual. Yet, unlike the stoic Romans, this boy emanates vulnerability. This portrayal calls to mind the 'Everyman' archetype— a figure representing common humanity. This archetype, ever-present in art from the medieval morality plays to the modern-day cinema, invites viewers to project their own experiences and emotions, tapping into our collective unconscious. This potent image thus becomes a mirror, reflecting back our shared human experiences, traversing eras and cultural boundaries in an unending cycle.