Self-portrait 1946

Zinaida Serebriakova painted this self-portrait with oils, and what strikes me is how she’s caught herself in a moment of observation, a sidelong glance, like a model caught between poses. The way the paint is applied here is so interesting, particularly in the blouse, where the brushstrokes are loose and visible, giving it a real sense of texture. There’s a tension between the areas that are clearly defined, like the face, and the looser, more gestural marks, particularly in the shadow behind her. The color palette feels very grounded, earthy, and muted, which only serves to heighten the impact of the pinks in her face. Think of Berthe Morisot, another artist who painted intimate portraits of women with a similar sense of immediacy and informality. These paintings remind us that art is a conversation across time. It’s all about how we see, how we process, and how we put our own spin on things.