Merchant 1920

Editor: Here we have Boris Kustodiev's "Merchant," painted around 1920, using oil paint. He's got such a striking presence! How do you interpret this work? Curator: For me, this image speaks volumes about material culture in post-revolutionary Russia. The very application of oil paint, a material often associated with wealth and the elite, to depict a "merchant"—a figure linked to trade, labor and the marketplace—highlights the changing societal landscape. Notice the textile patterns of the wallpaper and rug clashing in a cramped space, symbols of burgeoning and available industry but questionable taste. Editor: I hadn’t thought about it in terms of clashing tastes. What about the merchant himself, sitting there in that opulent blue suit? Curator: Precisely. The clothing itself becomes a signifier. Was this suit acquired before or after the revolution? Is he clinging to the vestiges of his former wealth and status? How would such clothes be available in 1920? Also, note the merchant's hands, are they calloused from work? Or soft, suggesting a shift away from manual labor toward more managerial roles in a changing economy? The material tells its own story of labor, class, and availability. Editor: So, by looking at the materials, you’re reading the social and economic context of the painting. I hadn’t considered the suit and rug as cultural artifacts so closely linked to supply chains. Curator: Absolutely. It prompts us to consider who had access to such materials, and the power dynamics inherent in their production and distribution in a post-revolution economy. Editor: That’s given me a completely different perspective on Kustodiev’s “Merchant.” Thanks for opening my eyes to the stories that materials can tell. Curator: It’s about considering how these materials shaped, and continue to shape, our understanding of culture, labour and even individual identity.