Raja Khasroo Khan de Naga, Tchalt 1925

Alexandre Jacovleff made this portrait of Raja Khasroo Khan de Naga in 1931 with pastel and charcoal, working delicate hatching marks to describe form. I wonder what it was like to sit for Jacovleff, holding still while he circled you, studying you intensely? I imagine Jacovleff, charcoal in hand, stepping back, squinting, then leaning in close to capture the exact angle of that incredible moustache. The way it springs outwards, defying gravity! You can feel the artist's excitement in rendering its texture and shape. The artist uses a muted palette – ochres, greens, and blues – unifying the figure against the pale ground. This piece reminds me of other portraitists like Alice Neel, who sought to capture not just a likeness, but the inner life of their sitters. It’s like Jacovleff is also participating in this ongoing, endless, conversation between artists across time. Each one picking up the thread from the last, adding their own unique voice.