Drawing a picture of the Witch 1908

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin made this drawing of a witch using pencil, and the thing I notice right away is that she doesn't have a face! It’s just blank space, which is kind of unsettling, but also freeing, because it invites me to project my own ideas of what a witch is onto her. The sketchiness of the lines, especially around her hair and dress, gives the piece an unfinished, process-oriented feel. It’s like we’re catching Petrov-Vodkin in the act of creation. The shading on her dress and the pillow she's sitting on creates a sense of volume and weight, making her feel present. But those hands, clasped together, look nervous to me. Is she casting a spell, or is she just as vulnerable as the rest of us? This faceless figure reminds me a bit of some of Picasso's more abstract portraits. Both artists seem interested in pushing the boundaries of representation. To me, art's not about answers, but about opening up possibilities and making us think.