In the box 1909

Boris Kustodiev made this pastel, In the box, in 1905, with dry strokes layered to build the forms of the figures and the architecture surrounding them. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the paper, the pressure of the pastel stick creating a soft, textured surface. I imagine Kustodiev, standing before the easel, carefully choosing each color, each stroke a deliberate decision. What was he thinking as he rendered these people and their environment? I see the influence of impressionism here, a kind of interest in capturing a fleeting moment, a social scene, and a sense of light. I imagine the figures bathed in this soft, diffused light, as the pastel medium lends itself to atmospheric effects. In the background, the layering of blues creates an ethereal, dreamlike quality, contrasting with the more defined figures in the foreground. What can be seen in the background is as much of the story as the people themselves. It feels like a painting that asks more questions than it answers.