Portrait of G. I. Teslenko 1921

Zinaida Serebriakova made this portrait of G. I. Teslenko as a sketch, perhaps in charcoal or ink, and you can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the page, searching for the form. It's all about the process of seeing and translating what’s seen into marks. There’s a real economy to the lines here, but where they land, they create a powerful sense of volume, particularly in the way she captures the fall of light on the sitter's face. Look at how the rapid, scribbled lines around her hair contrast with the smoother, more deliberate strokes defining her features. The cross-hatching creates depth, giving the image a tangible presence. The lines are raw, unpolished, and full of energy; you can imagine her working quickly, trying to capture a fleeting expression. Serebriakova reminds me a little of Käthe Kollwitz, in the way she uses line to convey emotion and humanity. It's like she's having a conversation with the subject.