Makin pancakes. Diptych 

Editor: This is "Making Pancakes. Diptych," attributed to Boris Grigoriev, and rendered with oil paints. I'm struck by the opulence hinted at through the rich colors and the waiter's formal wear. What do you see when you look at this painting? Curator: This image speaks volumes about the social stratification of the early 20th century, especially within the context of the Russian Avant-Garde. Grigoriev, although embracing some modernist techniques, often focused on portraying social realities. Here, the performance of wealth, signified by the attentive waiter, the presumably imported wines, and the labor-intensive dish, are placed front and center. Consider how the composition mimics Dutch still life paintings, yet disrupts their symbolism of plenty with an unsettling gaze aimed towards performative consumerism. Editor: Performative consumerism? So, you’re saying it’s not just about enjoying nice things? Curator: Precisely. Think about who would commission or purchase a painting like this. The nouveau riche, perhaps? Or those attempting to legitimize their social standing by showcasing symbols of Western bourgeois life. The "making" of pancakes becomes a spectacle. How do the visible brushstrokes of impasto connect to the overall themes for you? Editor: I hadn’t thought about that! The texture feels almost… indulgent, contributing to that feeling of overt display, but also the instability brewing under it, doesn't it? I'm now also seeing tension between the clear depiction of the wine and a blurry cook. Curator: An excellent observation. It encapsulates the conflicting currents within Russia at the time – a society attempting to modernize, clinging to tradition, while the political foundations began to tremble. That the cook disappears altogether seems like an obvious commentary on social standing and work within a community. Editor: I appreciate you pointing out the social tensions reflected here. I initially saw a simple genre painting, but now recognize its incisive social commentary. Curator: And I, viewing it again, find a renewed appreciation for how art encapsulates and complicates moments of societal shift. It reveals the artist's intentions of more than surface deep artwork.