Seated Man 

Charles Samuel Keene created this drawing, Seated Man, using graphite. Note the subtle tonality achieved through delicate hatching. The composition is structured by the interplay of light and shadow. Keene destabilizes traditional portraiture through this sketch. Rather than emphasizing individuality, the sitter is rendered with minimal detail. The focus shifts from the subject's identity to the structural elements of the drawing itself. Observe how the vertical lines behind the man contrast with the diagonal strokes forming his figure, creating a sense of depth. The semiotic reading of such contrast emphasizes the precarious nature of constructed social roles. Consider how the visible, raw materiality of the paper support, combined with the sketch-like quality, challenges the notion of a finished artwork. Keene invites us to consider the artwork not as a polished representation but as a dynamic process. This drawing invites us to question fixed meanings and to embrace the complexities inherent in both art and representation.