Mercahnt's Wife with Purchases 1923

This small drawing was made by Boris Kustodiev, who lived from 1878 to 1927. The whole scene seems to emerge through a tangle of short, precise strokes, like the world is being knitted together before our eyes. I can imagine Kustodiev standing there, maybe a bit chilly, rapidly trying to get it all down – the buildings, the clouds, that merchant’s wife. The pen kind of dances across the surface, doesn’t it? See how the lines build up, a little darker here and there, creating depth and shadow? And the way he suggests the texture of the buildings, or the fluffiness of those clouds! It reminds me of the urgency you sometimes feel when you're trying to capture a fleeting moment. I like the chickens at the bottom! It’s like he’s saying, “Here’s what it felt like to be there, seeing all this." Isn't it amazing how an artist can give us so much with just a few marks?