Skip to main content
Arthur Byron Phillips
(American, 1927 - 2008)
Thursday's Man
n.d.
28 × 22 in. (71.1 × 55.9 cm)
90.12.9
© artist, artist's estate, or other rights holders
Bequest of Ruth A. Yerion, 1990
Not on view
Unlike every other work in this exhibition, Thursday’s Man is captured completely unaware, without the pretext of posing for his portrait. Though many portraits depict a natural pose, the sitter is usually conscious of being observed by the artist. In this work, the sleeping sitter is not identified by name, and his face is partially turned away from the viewer. Even though it appears to be a detailed rendering of a figure, should we still consider it to be a portrait?