Coleus 1894

Isaac Levitan created this pastel drawing, Coleus, towards the end of the 19th century in Russia. It is a still life that depicts a seemingly simple arrangement of house plants. Levitan was a leading figure in the Russian landscape painting tradition but his choice to paint this everyday subject matter and to focus on its delicate coloring chimes with the broader turn to depictions of domestic life, common in late 19th century European art. This shift reflected evolving social structures, where the middle class gained prominence. The focus on scenes of private life rather than historical events also reflects changes in the institutional structures of art. Artists looked increasingly to the commercial gallery system as a way of making a living. Looking closely into the archives of exhibitions and sales can tell us a great deal about the changing place of the artist in society. Ultimately, art history reminds us that the meaning of art is always tied to its social and institutional context.