Lessing J. Rosenwald 1930

Curator: It's interesting, isn't it? A 1930 charcoal drawing by James McBey, titled "Lessing J. Rosenwald." There's a sort of… sternness to it, I think? Editor: Yes, stern but also thoughtful. The way the light catches the lenses of his glasses, for instance. It draws you right into the man's gaze. Almost like a gentle invitation to ponder along with him. Curator: He certainly seems a man of purpose, even though it’s just a drawing. Charcoal, of all things, lending it a weightiness. Do you know anything of Rosenwald, historically speaking? Editor: Indeed. Lessing J. Rosenwald was a businessman, philanthropist, and perhaps most notably, a passionate collector of rare books and prints. His donations were pivotal to the Library of Congress, democratizing access to rare and precious materials for researchers and the public alike. Curator: Ah, that fits the thoughtful mood we picked up on. Knowing he was a collector of stories adds a richness to how we see this drawing. It makes you wonder what stories he saw in it, in himself. Editor: It highlights, I think, the complicated interplay between the art world and wealth. How philanthropy shapes cultural heritage and who gets to define that heritage. Rosenwald's collecting, for instance, certainly played a role in the canon formation. Curator: It does raise questions. Were the artists who created the rare books he collected aware of the political forces at play, aware their work might one day reside in the Library of Congress because of a collector like Rosenwald? It almost makes you want to time travel, pop back into their studios... Editor: An enticing proposition! I find it fascinating to consider how an object, be it a drawing or a rare book, can accrue layers of meaning through its journey across time, touched by patrons, institutions, and the perspectives of countless viewers like ourselves. Curator: Agreed. Makes you wonder what this drawing will mean in another hundred years. Maybe someone will see in Rosenwald the same twinkle in his eye that you do. Editor: And perhaps they’ll see us, in our time, trying to decipher the many narratives this compelling portrait has to tell.