Portrait of the writer N.B. Nordman-Severova 1905

Editor: Here we have Ilya Repin’s “Portrait of the writer N.B. Nordman-Severova,” painted in 1905, using oil on canvas. It depicts a woman with an umbrella sitting outside. I’m struck by how the landscape seems as important as the subject herself. What can you tell me about this work? Curator: The visible brushstrokes certainly lend a material quality to the entire scene, almost as if Repin is highlighting the labour involved in its making. Look at the woman's clothing, especially the contrast between the roughly textured skirt and delicate, almost manufactured, lace of the umbrella. What does this tell you about societal values placed on labour and leisure at the time? Editor: That’s interesting! So the fabric and how it’s depicted reflects class distinctions, maybe? The woman’s dress seems simple, not overtly luxurious… Curator: Precisely! Note also the blurring of lines between “high art,” such as portraiture, and "craft" evident in the lacework. Consider, too, how industrial advancements influenced the production of items like that parasol, transforming how people related to their surroundings. Did the mass-produced materials change how value was perceived? Editor: I never really considered how industrial production shows up in what I think of as “fine art.” It's really eye-opening. Curator: Exactly! By exploring materiality and the means of production, we begin to question what we consume and the social structures embedded within. Editor: It’s given me a completely new way to see the connection between art and everyday life in the past. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure. It all comes back to thinking about the how and why behind artistic choices.