Peasant woman 1916

Zinaida Serebriakova made this painting of a peasant woman, we don't know when, using what looks like watercolor. Look at the way the colors bleed and blend; it's like she's letting the paint do its thing, guiding it but not controlling it too much. You can really see the texture of the paper, the way the colors settle into the nooks and crannies. The paint is so thin in places it's almost transparent, which gives the whole thing a light, airy feel. But then she comes in with these darker blues and blacks, especially in the woman’s apron, and they really anchor the image. It creates a sense of depth, you know? The mark-making is so casual, so off-the-cuff. It feels very modern, almost like a sketch but with a real emotional weight. This reminds me of the work of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who was also painting women in rural settings with a similar kind of earthy, honest approach. It makes you think about how artists are always in conversation with each other, even across time. It's great isn't it?