Sketch of makeup for Satan to "Diary of Satan" (by L. Andreev) 1922

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin made this watercolour and pencil drawing of a makeup design for Satan for L. Andreev's "Diary of Satan". The face is striking! There's an intensity in the gaze and a slightly furrowed brow that suggests inner turmoil or a profound, unsettling awareness. I wonder what Petrov-Vodkin was thinking as he sketched this figure, trying to capture the essence of evil or perhaps the more complex nature of temptation and moral ambiguity. The textures are really interesting, it’s like he’s experimenting with different densities and blending techniques to create depth and dimension, especially around the eyes. The soft washes create this kind of ethereal quality, while the dark, precise lines bring a stark, almost confrontational realism to the piece. There is a tension that reminds me a little of Goya. It’s amazing how artists build on each other’s work, and the visual language that emerges across time. In painting, every gesture, every choice of color and form, carries meaning.