Portrait of Thomas Whittemore 1927

Editor: This is Aimee-Liouba Borissova's sketch, "Portrait of Thomas Whittemore", at the Harvard Art Museums. It feels unfinished, almost like a glimpse into a moment. What do you notice about its composition and how it might reflect its historical context? Curator: The sketch's seeming incompleteness actually speaks volumes. Borissova's choice to leave parts undefined could be a commentary on the evolving nature of identity and representation in art. Editor: How so? Curator: Well, consider the social context. Portraiture had long been a tool of the elite. By presenting Whittemore in this manner, Borissova might be subtly democratizing the form, suggesting that identity is fluid, not fixed and formal. Does that resonate with you? Editor: It does. I hadn't thought about how the sketch style challenges older conventions. Curator: Precisely! It makes you wonder about the power dynamics at play and who gets to define representation, doesn’t it? Editor: Absolutely, I am starting to view it in a different light now.