Kanji Nakamura (1887-1932) 19th-20th century

Editor: This is a portrait of Kanji Nakamura, who lived from 1887 to 1932, by Denman Waldo Ross. It's at the Harvard Art Museums. The blue really pops against the dark canvas, but his expression seems melancholy. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Melancholy is a perfect word. I see a yearning in his gaze, a quiet contemplation. The artist, Ross, uses that striking blue as if to pierce the darkness, perhaps a symbolic representation of hope or the vibrant inner life of the sitter amidst a somber reality. What do you think? Editor: I see that. The blue is more than just a color; it's a feeling. Thank you; I'll never look at this painting the same way again! Curator: Indeed! Art has a funny way of doing that, doesn't it? Always revealing new layers with each look.