Children in a Class 1918

Nikolay Bogdanov-Belsky made this painting of Children in a Class with oils. I imagine him gently layering and mixing soft colours, with feathery marks to capture the children’s faces and their expressions. I wonder if Bogdanov-Belsky was once one of these village kids himself? I can feel his careful gaze, a sense of gentle fondness as he paints each of them. The children seem both present and dreamy, lost in their thoughts while sitting at their desks. What are they thinking about? What do they make of the lesson? See how the artist lets his attention rest on their faces, their clothes, the books on the table? Look at the girl in the red scarf, a bold patch of colour. The artist is drawing on impressionist and post-impressionist painting to create a new way of seeing everyday life. By focusing on colour, light, and shape, he lets us into the children's world. Artists are always talking to each other, you know? Always finding ways to look again.