Femme kirghize, Soubashi 1931

Alexandre Jacovleff made this drawing of a Kirghiz woman in Soubashi, likely using crayon or pastel on paper, and I’m struck by his commitment to mark making as a method of description. He’s not trying to ‘blend’ the marks to create an illusionistic surface. Instead, the visible marks create a kind of optical vibration, like when you stare at something too closely and it starts to dissolve. Check out the rendering of the headdress in particular. See how he uses short hatching lines to suggest the folds and contours of the fabric. The texture of the paper remains visible in places, creating a contrast between the solid forms and the open space. The subtle color palette feels warm and inviting. The ochre tones in the face, along with the charcoal black of the background, create a kind of depth. The woman's gaze meets ours directly, inviting us into her world. It’s a beautiful, intimate portrait. It reminds me a bit of the work of Lucian Freud, especially in its unflinching gaze and commitment to representing the human form with such honesty.