Chairman of the Board
/Iver Rose
1983
American, 1899-1972
Oil on panel
Gift of Anna Ajemian, made possible by Harmon-Meek Gallery
Florida Southern College Permanent Collection FP.2017.21.1
Filled with both apparent humor and pathos, Chairman of the Board uses its title to poke fun at our own expectations for this painting’s subject matter. Stereotypically, a chairman of the board is often envisaged as a besuited businessman or businesswoman, seated at the end of a long conference table and overseeing serious matters. In contrast, a clown is usually imagined as a character imbued with comical qualities. Here, Rose challenges our type-casting: there is no boardroom in sight, and this red-nosed “Chairman of the Board” seems decidedly unfunny, if not altogether sad. Look at his posture. Look at the space in which he is seated. What is he holding and what does he have in his mouth? Let your imagination soar. Who is the man beneath the painted face? What can we dream up as the narrative of his past and for what reason does he sit here alone? Why also is he referred to as “Chairman of the Board”? What is his story?