Portrait of N.D. Milioti 1916

Editor: This is Boris Kustodiev's 1916 oil painting, "Portrait of N.D. Milioti." The texture of the brushstrokes is quite visible, and Milioti is wearing what appears to be a military uniform. There's also another picture on the back, partially visible. What do you make of this work? Curator: It’s crucial to understand the conditions of production here. Kustodiev painted this portrait in 1916, during World War I, reflecting not only individual portraiture but also the broader context of labor, class, and national identity being forged. The material qualities of oil paint and brushstrokes draw our attention. Notice how the materiality becomes a form of documenting and interpreting a life and the portrait is only one component. Editor: What is so important about the materiality? Curator: The materiality isn't just about the medium; it's about what the materials represent culturally. During the Russian Revolution and the War, resources and labour would have been very scarce. The visibility of brushstrokes tells us about the pace of its making, the potential for repurposing materials, and how time was valued at that point. How would you describe that labour, by the artist and the sitter? Editor: Considering that the man appears to be a military official, maybe they used this as an affirmation for their duty. In using these resources and materials to produce art and affirm values in this moment of crisis... it makes you think, were there others who lacked such opportunities to be materially immortalized at a point of crisis? Curator: Precisely! It speaks to consumption and commemoration – a permanent record using scarce resources in times of immense social and political change. Looking at this closely has definitely added to my understanding of Kustodiev's positionality at this time. Editor: This new perspective definitely enriches my interpretation as well.