Boy musician 1928

Zinaida Serebriakova sketched this ‘Boy Musician’ with pastel in Morocco, 1932. Look at how the composition is built from a series of marks, smudges, and lines. You can really sense her grappling with the image, searching for the right form. The material handling is fascinating. The pastels give a soft, chalky texture, which contrasts with the sharp, dark lines defining the figures. See how the red in the boy’s hands and instrument vibrates against the muted background, full of blues and purples. There’s something really beautiful and awkward about it, particularly in the way the boy holds the instrument. The sketchiness reminds me of Matisse’s drawings, where the line is everything. I think Serebriakova, like Matisse, embraces the unfinished, inviting us into her process. The conversation between artists across time is a testament to the ongoing exploration of form and feeling. Art invites ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations and endless conversations.