On the Terrace 1906

Boris Kustodiev made On the Terrace with oil paints, capturing an intimate family gathering. The painting’s strength lies in its layering of colours and textures, a process of building up the scene like assembling a memory. Look at the woman in the floral dress. The paint here is applied with such freedom; soft, blurred edges give her a gentle, almost dreamlike presence. The way Kustodiev handles the fabric, with its loose brushstrokes suggesting the pattern rather than defining it, tells us that this painting isn’t about exact representation. It's more about capturing the mood and atmosphere of a warm afternoon. Notice how the colour in the shadows of the white tablecloth hint at blues and greens. Kustodiev isn’t afraid to let the colours mix and mingle, creating a lively, energetic surface. You can see echoes of Renoir in his work, that shared love of family and everyday moments. But Kustodiev brings his own Russian sensibility to the table, making something entirely his own. It’s a celebration of life’s simple pleasures, seen through a deeply personal lens.