Girl From California 1938

Boris Grigoriev painted this portrait, titled 'Girl From California', in the first half of the 20th century, using oil on canvas. The image presents many questions. Grigoriev was a Russian émigré, who spent time in different parts of Europe after the Russian revolution, before moving to the Americas in the 1930s. We might consider this work through the lens of cultural exchange and how Grigoriev interpreted and represented the foreign cultures that he encountered. The sitter’s clothing - a boldly patterned red dress and lace head covering - present a striking contrast, that we might explore through research into fashion and social customs in California in the 1930s. It is important to remember that the work is as much about Grigoriev himself, and his own cultural background, as it is about the sitter. The meaning of art is always contingent on social and institutional context. It is through historical research that we can come to a better understanding.