An old woman drinking tea 1914

Vladimir Makovsky captured this old woman drinking tea in an oil painting whose date is unknown. The colour palette is restrained, mostly browns, creams, whites, and blues applied with visible brushstrokes. I wonder what it was like for Makovsky to make this painting; what thoughts, feelings, and memories did he bring to this canvas? I imagine the studio must have been cold. I can see how the artist has worked the paint—layer upon layer, each stroke building the figure. Look at the way he has painted the hands, with such care and attention to detail, that I’m drawn to them. They tell a story of hard work and resilience. The thinness of the paint allows you to feel the surface of the canvas, to see how each gesture communicates a sense of feeling. It is like a conversation between artist and viewer, across time, inspiring creativity.