Ivan Kozlov 

Editor: Here we have a graphite and charcoal drawing titled "Ivan Kozlov" by Orest Kiprensky. The stark monochrome and the subject's severe profile give it quite an intense, almost Romantic feel. What do you see in this portrait? Curator: It’s interesting you say Romantic. I immediately look at this and see the symbolic weight imbued in the stark profile. It reminds us of cameo silhouettes, classical references to ancient virtues of a kind. What is interesting, though, is how the very texture of the charcoal disrupts this simple visual formula, bringing an almost proto-photographic truth to the representation. How does that truth, or its illusion, complicate the Romantic impression you described? Editor: I suppose the texture does bring it back to earth a little! The almost severe lighting enhances his sharp features. Is it meant to symbolize something about Kozlov himself, do you think? Curator: Precisely! Light and shadow were frequently deployed to signify the character, virtue, or moral standing of the sitter. Think of the chiaroscuro of Caravaggio – what might Kiprensky be telling us through these dramatic tonal contrasts, and what values might the ascetically shadowed figure represent? Is it wisdom? Suffering? Or perhaps stoicism in the face of adversity? What do you think about it? Editor: Given the time period, and just how posed and presented this image seems, it’s hard to see anything but some projection of strength onto Kozlov, a person the artist wants to depict in an unflinching light. Curator: Indeed, the intersection of artistic intent, cultural symbolism, and the artist’s vision makes this drawing a rich, evocative object of study. Editor: Definitely something to keep in mind when looking at portraiture moving forward.