Workman Soso 

Curator: Alright, let's turn our attention to "Workman Soso." It’s an oil painting attributed to Niko Pirosmani, currently held here at the Sighnaghi Museum. What are your immediate thoughts? Editor: He looks like a friendly giant, somehow both imposing and a little bit melancholy. The colours feel muted, yet there's something so striking about the composition... that plume of smoke, almost floating, it feels so tangible! Curator: I’m glad you picked up on that slight feeling of melancholy. Pirosmani often painted everyday people, and there's an inherent dignity, but also perhaps a quiet resignation, in their faces. He sought commissions where he could, which resulted in this folksy yet somehow radical Realism. Editor: Interesting! Radical how? It's such an understated portrait, even down to his clothing: a black coat and light blue trousers. It is very... grounded. Curator: In his time, the art world was preoccupied with the grand and academic. Pirosmani turned his attention to portraying the lives of ordinary Georgians: farmers, merchants, labourers. Radical because he democratised representation. These weren't commissions from the upper classes; this was art about, and potentially for, the working class. This idea disrupted accepted tastes and notions. Editor: I see. He almost elevates this “Workman Soso”, even while maintaining his commonness, wouldn't you say? I like how Pirosmani uses this impasto, quite roughly and expressively. Almost crude. Did that bother the critics? Curator: Some. He was definitely considered outside the mainstream, initially dismissed as naive. He painted primarily on oilcloth as opposed to traditional canvas, as it was what he could get, giving his work this particular surface quality and affecting its longevity, tragically. It wasn't until later that he gained real recognition as a significant figure. Editor: Well, I for one, am glad his work survives, flaws and all. There's a certain raw authenticity to this painting; it just cuts right through the noise. This workman—he really feels alive, somehow! Curator: Indeed. Pirosmani offers us more than just a depiction. He offers us a glimpse into the soul of a people. Editor: A humble soul, painted with profound love, I'd say.