Children in the costumes 1909

Boris Kustodiev painted these children in costume; exactly when, we don't know, but it feels like a record of seeing and feeling rather than a literal record. The beauty of this painting lies in its almost rough handling of paint. Look at the way the brushstrokes dance and mingle, creating the textures of fabric and flesh. The orange of the girl’s skirt feels almost palpable, like velvet you could reach out and touch. The artist isn't trying to hide the process, but instead emphasizes it, allowing the material qualities of the paint to shine through. The brushstrokes are like little glitches, revealing the constructed nature of the image, which is a little like putting on a costume. I think of Chaim Soutine, who had the same direct approach. Both artists remind us that painting is not just about representation, but about the visceral experience of seeing and feeling, and that the real subject is always the painting itself.