Mother and child 1927

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin created this ‘Mother and Child’, and it feels like he built it up slowly, layer upon layer, observing and adjusting. I love the way he models the faces using subtle tonal variations. It gives them a soft, sculptural quality. You can almost feel the texture of the skin. I wonder if he started with a drawing, or if he went straight in with the paint. There's a vulnerability in the mother's gaze, an intimate and tender moment, frozen in time. This painting reminds me of other artists, like Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also explored the themes of motherhood with such raw honesty. There's a conversation happening across time, artists responding to one another, grappling with similar experiences, and pushing the boundaries of painting. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?