Portrait of a Man 1932

Zinaida Serebriakova, a member of the Benois family and a painter of considerable talent, made this portrait of an unknown man using pastel on paper. She painted this portrait while living in exile in Paris after the Russian Revolution. While many women artists throughout history have been confined to certain subject matter, like portraiture, Serebriakova navigated these constraints with a distinctive artistic vision. Here the sitter's calm gaze and composed posture convey a sense of inner strength and self-possession. In the context of the Russian diaspora, this man represents a quiet resilience that countered the turbulence of exile. Serebriakova was quoted as saying "I want to express myself, my world...If only I could express in my paintings the feeling of joy, of plenitude of life." Serebriakova's work is a powerful statement of identity, offering a counter-narrative of strength amidst displacement. The portrait compels us to think about the human ability to persevere in the face of political upheaval.