Portrait of Artist's Wife 1887

Editor: This is Konstantin Makovsky’s “Portrait of Artist’s Wife,” painted in 1887. There's such a melancholy feeling to it, heightened by the way she's framed with that delicate shawl. What kind of symbols do you see in this work? Curator: The shawl itself is highly symbolic. The lace could represent fragility, beauty, but also a kind of binding. It softens her features, but also seems to veil something. Her downward gaze suggests introspection, or even perhaps a sorrow held deep within. Notice the colors: the earthy tones against the brighter whites – does that resonate with anything? Editor: Maybe a contrast between her inner life and outward appearance? It's interesting how the artist uses light and shadow to emphasize that contrast too. Curator: Precisely! The light seems to be revealing the ephemeral beauty. But beyond the romantic aesthetic, I would be curious to learn the meaning lace shawls might hold in Russian culture. Also, notice how her eyes and face are softer in focus relative to the strands of dark curly hair in the painting. What do you make of that? Editor: The strands of dark hair against her headscarf really stand out in focus, which directs us to focus on the beauty, yet she almost fades in to the darkness around her in a very compelling way. Curator: Very astute. We see her, yet something eludes us. So much is expressed with such subtlety, and invites us to project. Thank you. Editor: Thank you; I definitely learned something new today.