Portrait of a Woman 1880

Ivan Kramskoy made this portrait of a woman with oil on canvas in the late 19th century. Notice the dark background and the way the woman's light dress seems to emerge from it. Kramskoy was a master of using oil paint to create these effects of light and shadow. The way the paint is applied, in visible brushstrokes, shows the hand of the artist at work. Oil paint has a long history, used for centuries to create realistic images. Kramskoy was part of a movement of Russian artists who wanted to paint real people and scenes from everyday life, in contrast to the more idealized and historical subjects that had been popular before. So, the choice of materials and the way they're used here speak to a desire to connect with the world around us, and to value the skill and labor of the artist. By focusing on the making, we can better appreciate the social and cultural significance of this portrait.