Self Portrait with wife 1918

This is an undated self-portrait with wife by Boris Kustodiev, rendered in pencil. Kustodiev lived through a period of immense social and political transformation in Russia, from the late Tsarist era, through the 1905 Revolution, and into the early Soviet period. You're looking at a snowy, bustling scene. The artist, bundled in furs, sits in a horse-drawn sleigh alongside his wife. In the background, we see a cluster of Russian Orthodox churches and a marketplace teeming with people. While Kustodiev embraced modernism to some extent, he remained committed to representing Russian national identity. This drawing has a melancholic feel, and the cityscape is sketched rather than carefully delineated. Kustodiev suffered from tuberculosis of the spine which caused progressive paralysis. Perhaps this drawing reflects Kustodiev’s emotional state. Despite his physical challenges, Kustodiev continued to work, creating vibrant and celebratory images of Russian life, almost as if to keep his spirits up. This piece reflects the weight of historical change and personal suffering, even as it captures the enduring spirit of Russian culture.