Portrait of the Poet 1913

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin made this portrait of a poet in 1913, seemingly with charcoal or graphite. You can see the artmaking process in the smudgy, almost frantic strokes that create the poet’s likeness. The texture is immediately apparent; it’s right there on the surface. It’s as if Petrov-Vodkin is saying, “Here’s the mark, here’s the evidence of my hand.” Look at the way the lines around the poet’s collarbone are raw and expressive. They convey a sense of urgency, as if Petrov-Vodkin is trying to capture the essence of the poet in a fleeting moment. It reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz’s portraits, with their emphasis on emotional intensity and the raw physicality of the medium. Both artists share a commitment to portraying the human condition with honesty and empathy, favoring ambiguity and complexity over easy answers.