Levi Alexander Benois de Stetto 1916

This drawing of Levi Alexander Benois de Stetto was made by Zinaida Serebriakova, most likely with charcoal or graphite. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the paper, searching for the right line, the precise curve of the cheek, or the subtle shift in light. What was she thinking, I wonder, as she rendered his likeness? Was she capturing a fleeting moment, or trying to immortalize his essence? Perhaps she was playing with the push and pull of light and shadow, seeing how much she could evoke with so little. Look at how much she suggests with these spare marks. I love the way the lines around his shirt almost evaporate into the blank paper. There's a tenderness in this work; it feels less like a formal portrait and more like an intimate study. When I look at this I feel a kinship, a connection across time and medium. It reminds me that we’re all part of a continuum, constantly influencing and inspiring each other. And that art doesn't have to shout, it can whisper.