Portrait of a Young Man; verso: Portrait of a Young Man with Fur Hat 19th-20th century

Curator: This is Denman Waldo Ross's "Portrait of a Young Man," and it's interesting to note it exists "verso," with another portrait on the back, titled "Portrait of a Young Man with Fur Hat." Editor: It has such an immediate, unvarnished feel—almost like catching someone between poses. The brushstrokes are so direct. Curator: Absolutely. Ross was a keen observer of society. One could argue these portraits present an interesting study in contrasts of youth and class. Editor: You know, I wonder about that blue—the bit of shirt beneath the white. It's like a secret flash of something vibrant and vulnerable. Curator: Color, for Ross, was often a vehicle for communicating deeper truths, reflecting the sitter's inner life in relation to the world around him. Editor: It feels so incomplete, yet so revealing. It's odd. Curator: Perhaps it shows that identity is a dual sided exploration. Editor: Precisely. I guess there is no single angle.