Head of a Man, Almost Full Face 

Editor: This is Samuel Laurence's "Head of a Man, Almost Full Face" from the Tate Collections. It's a drawing, very delicate, but there's also a sense of authority in the subject's gaze. What do you make of this portrait? Curator: I think it speaks volumes about the power dynamics inherent in portraiture of this era. Consider the male gaze, the sitter's implied social standing, and Laurence's role in either perpetuating or subverting those expectations. How might contemporary viewers interpret this depiction of masculinity? Editor: That's a really interesting point. I hadn't considered the idea of subversion. Curator: Or even a critique of power itself, subtly embedded within the conventions of the time. Food for thought, isn't it? Editor: Definitely. It makes me see the portrait in a completely new light.