A poor shot 1880

Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin, a Russian artist, painted this work, "A poor shot", using oil paint applied with brushes onto a canvas. Notice how the surface texture of the painting comes alive through Korovin’s brushstrokes, which capture the overcast sky and the rough terrain. The artist applied loose brushwork to create an open-air effect, depicting a lone hunter against the horizon. What might otherwise appear as a traditional depiction of hunting gains a new depth when we consider the labor involved in creating paintings like this. The preparation of the canvas, the mixing of paints, and the deliberate application of each stroke are all skillful processes that imbue the artwork with cultural significance. The painting embodies a convergence of fine art and craft, elevating the act of painting itself to a subject of artistic inquiry. Understanding the materials, making, and social context of a work like this challenges distinctions between fine art and craft.