Seated Woman 

Robert Henri sketched "Seated Woman" using graphite on paper during a period marked by significant shifts in social structures and artistic expressions. Henri, a key figure in the Ashcan School, advocated for art that reflected real life. This work captures a woman in a moment of repose, seemingly ordinary, yet the sketch invites us to consider her positionality. Her identity is not explicitly defined; the faceless rendering could be a deliberate commentary on the era's treatment of women. Henri’s choice to leave her features undefined opens a space for viewers to project their own understandings and emotions. How might the woman's identity be shaped by gender expectations, economic circumstances, and the social constraints of her time? As Henri himself once said, "It isn't the subject that counts but what you feel about it." Consider how the simplicity of the sketch invites contemplation on identity. The artwork’s raw and unfinished quality encourages us to look beyond the surface.