Portrait of a Woman (A.V. Rzhevuskaya) 1909

Boris Kustodiev made this oil on canvas, Portrait of a Woman, seemingly without setting a specific date to it. What strikes me first is the way the dark blacks and greens are layered, like peering through a forest at dusk. The making of this piece really feels like a journey through color. I’m drawn to the way the brushwork around the sitter's face is so soft, almost caressing the canvas, while the textures of the dress and background are more gestural. Notice the swirls of olive and viridian in the backdrop - they're almost like they're alive, breathing behind her. And then, that single highlight on her ring, a tiny spark of light that anchors the whole composition. It’s such a juicy detail, a little wink from Kustodiev. This piece feels like it’s in conversation with artists like John Singer Sargent, who also captured the complexities of high society portraiture. But with Kustodiev, there’s always a touch of something else, a hint of something wilder, more untamed. Art, after all, isn't about answers; it's about opening up the space for questions.