Portrait of Alexandre Popoff in a smoking jacket 1942

Zinaida Serebriakova made this portrait of Alexandre Popoff in Paris in 1942, using pastel. What strikes me is how the blue of the smoking jacket vibrates. It’s not just one blue, but layers of turquoise, sapphire, and indigo, blended together like a watercolor dream. It speaks to art making as a process of constant adjustment. The texture is soft and velvety, almost like you could reach out and feel the fabric. Serebriakova is so good at capturing light. Notice the way the light catches the folds of the jacket. It feels like she's building form with color, rather than just outlining it. It’s this attention to detail that gives the portrait its depth, both visually and emotionally. The way the colors swirl and blend reminds me a bit of Vuillard, that sense of intimacy and domesticity. Ultimately, this piece reminds us that art isn’t about perfect representation, but about capturing a feeling, a moment in time. And maybe, just maybe, a little bit of the artist's own soul.