Portrait Z.N. Martynovskaya 1961

Zinaida Serebriakova painted this intimate portrait of Z.N. Martynovskaya in Paris. While the date is not explicitly stated, the inscription on the artwork indicates it was made in June 1961. Serebriakova, a member of the Benois family, experienced firsthand the upheaval of the Russian Revolution, which dramatically altered her life and artistic trajectory. This portrait departs from Serebriakova's earlier, more idealized representations of women, offering instead a candid glimpse into the life of her sitter. Martynovskaya, adorned with simple jewelry and dressed in a patterned blouse, exudes a quiet confidence. Serebriakova's choice to depict her subject in such an unpretentious manner reflects a shift away from traditional, hierarchical representations of women in art. Though the identities of both women are obscured from history, we can still imagine a sense of connection between artist and sitter. The portrait hints at the complex interplay between personal identity and historical circumstance, inviting us to reflect on the lives of women artists and their subjects in a time of profound social change.