Boys Wrestling

Mysterious and provocative, this image deviates from White's more romantic depictions of women and children by introducing elements of tension and narrative around the herm of Pan. From a hidden vantage point in the left corner, Pan appears to be watching over the young boys, or perhaps peeking voyeuristically at them. There is little question that White was working under the influence of Frederick Holland Day, whose fascination with the art and mores of classical Greece, and whose "intoxication with male beauty" led him to invoke Hellenist themes and ideals in his work. White in turn responded to this rich allegorical subject matter.