Masha, the daughter of merchant 1924

Boris Kustodiev’s “Masha, the daughter of merchant,” from 1924, uses watercolor and graphite pencil to depict a young woman in traditional Russian dress. The image evokes Russia’s complex social fabric. Kustodiev painted this portrait in the years following the Russian Revolution, a period of intense social and political change. Before the revolution merchants occupied a specific and important position in the Russian class system. As such, the title identifies Masha as part of a social class that had largely disappeared after the Bolsheviks took power. The artist's choice to depict her wearing traditional clothing can be seen as a commentary on the loss of cultural identity in the new Soviet state. Historians use archival documents, personal letters, and other primary sources to reconstruct the world in which art is created. By understanding the social and institutional context of Kustodiev’s painting, we can gain a deeper appreciation for its historical and cultural significance.