Infante Don Carlo, after Velazquez 1895

Curator: This is Denman Waldo Ross's "Infante Don Carlo, after Velazquez" currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's quite somber, almost severe. The palette is so restrained, it feels like a study in greys and browns. Curator: Exactly. Note how Ross echoes Velazquez's technique, focusing on tonal values to define form rather than relying on strong outlines. But this is more than mimicry. Ross seems to examine the historical context. Editor: And yet, the figure seems strangely isolated. While echoing Velazquez, the artist doesn't place him in a narrative or give a sense of his world. Curator: The painting technique itself reflects a certain austerity appropriate to both the subject and period. It captures the formal qualities of 17th-century portraiture. Editor: It's a fascinating dialogue between artists across time, reflecting changing attitudes towards historical portraiture.