Ellsworth Haggerty 1918

Editor: This is Denman Waldo Ross's pencil drawing, "Ellsworth Haggerty." It’s a very serene portrait, almost like a classical study. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a negotiation with power dynamics inherent in portraiture. Ross was a privileged man depicting a younger man, possibly a student. How does the careful grid both elevate and constrain Haggerty? It raises questions about control and representation. Editor: So, the grid emphasizes the artist's control over the subject? Curator: Precisely. But it also hints at a vulnerability, doesn't it? Haggerty’s gaze seems direct, challenging our own position as viewers complicit in this dynamic. Editor: I never considered that before! It definitely gives me a lot to think about. Curator: Me too. It is a great way to reflect on portraiture itself.