Self Portrait 1914

Boris Kustodiev made this charcoal self-portrait, and it looks like he was really going for it! The lines have a real boldness and confidence to them; you can almost imagine Kustodiev grabbing that charcoal stick and attacking the paper, trying to capture his likeness with a kind of vigorous energy. The way he’s rendered his folded arms is so striking; they look huge and powerful. Maybe he was feeling particularly strong that day? I wonder if Kustodiev ever thought about how his self-portrait might speak to future artists? It’s funny, as artists, we are always in conversation with one another, across time, picking up on each other’s marks. Maybe some young artist will see this one day, and be emboldened to make their own bold and energetic drawing! I hope so.