Portrait of M. Benois 1910

Zinaida Serebriakova painted this portrait of M. Benois with oil on canvas, capturing him in a contemplative pose. The colour palette feels muted, almost melancholic, dominated by earth tones and greys, which gives the piece a certain gravitas. Looking closer, the surface is really interesting; you can see the visible brushstrokes, especially in the background, which gives a sense of the artist’s hand at work. The paint isn’t overly thick, but there's enough texture to create depth and shadow. The artist really captures the light on his face and hands and I think that brings out a lot of character. The hands, clasped together, are painted with so much detail, you can almost feel the texture of his skin. Serebriakova reminds me of Alice Neel in her ability to capture the essence of her sitters. She shows us the beauty in the mundane, and reminds us that painting, like life, is about process and not just product.