Drawing hand to the picture Merchant's wife 1915

This is Boris Kustodiev's study in pencil for his painting 'Merchant's Wife'. Kustodiev was working in Russia in the early 20th century, a period of dramatic social and political change. His interest in the merchant class reflects the shifting economic landscape of the time, where traditional social hierarchies were being challenged by new wealth and commerce. The focus on the hands, holding what appears to be a purse, speaks volumes about the merchant class, whose status was defined by the possession and management of wealth. The drawing captures a sense of both the solidity and the delicate vulnerability associated with this class. Understanding Kustodiev's work requires that we look into Russia’s evolving social structure, its art institutions, and the cultural values assigned to different social groups at the time. It's a reminder that art doesn't exist in a vacuum; it's deeply embedded in the social and institutional contexts of its time.