State Secretary General Mikhail Galkin-Vrasky 1903

Boris Kustodiev made this portrait of State Secretary General Mikhail Galkin-Vrasky with oil paints; the exact date is unknown. Check out how Kustodiev lets the paint itself do so much of the work. The brushstrokes are visible, thick in places, creating a kind of topography on the canvas. The way he builds up the layers of color gives the whole piece a feeling of depth and movement. I’m especially drawn to the rendering of the subject’s hair. See how the green and beige strokes blend together? This kind of direct, unblended mark-making gives the image a dynamic energy. It reminds me of some of Manet's portraits, where the emphasis is less on perfect representation and more on the act of painting itself. Ultimately, I see art as an ongoing conversation, each artist building on what came before, adding their own voice to the mix.