Levi Alexander Benois de Stetto 1916

Zinaida Serebriakova made this drawing of Levi Alexander Benois de Stetto in 1916, and you can see her process so clearly in every line. There's a sense of searching, of finding the form through repeated gestures. Look closely, and you'll see how the lines build up to create the shadows on his face and the folds in his shirt. The texture is almost palpable, like you could reach out and feel the soft fabric. It’s all about transparency here. The artist hasn't tried to hide anything; instead, she's inviting us to witness the act of creation itself. Notice the way the lines around the eyes are so delicate and precise, capturing a sense of youth, but also hinting at something deeper. It reminds me a little of some of Agnes Martin's more figurative works, where the subject is present, but the focus is really on the act of seeing. It's a conversation between artists across time. And for me, that's what art is all about, an invitation to look, to feel, and to keep questioning.