Allen Parker 19th-20th century

Curator: Denman Waldo Ross's "Allen Parker" at the Harvard Art Museums presents a delicate graphite rendering, measuring about 21 by 28 centimeters. There's an immediacy to it. Editor: It feels like a study. The sketchiness, the unfinished quality... I wonder about the materials. Was this a readily available paper, perhaps even repurposed? Curator: Exactly. Ross was deeply interested in the materials and processes of art-making. The paper itself bears faint inscriptions, suggesting its prior use. The labor involved is also of interest. Editor: And what of Parker? What role did he play in Ross's artistic world, and how was portraiture viewed institutionally at the time? Curator: Given Ross's emphasis on design theory and his possible link to contemporaneous movements, it is all about craftsmanship. Editor: So, a meeting of minds through accessible materials, carefully wrought, and imbued with historical echoes. Curator: A material testament to human expression, indeed. Editor: A subtle reminder of the power within even a simple sketch.