Self Portrait 1905

Editor: This is Boris Kustodiev's "Self Portrait" from 1905, presumably oil on canvas. It's quite striking, with him holding what looks like a rifle amidst this slightly blurry landscape. What I immediately notice is how the materiality of the paint almost clashes with the subject's poised demeanor. What strikes you about this work? Curator: This portrait begs a question of production. Observe the visible brushstrokes and how Kustodiev uses the material properties of the paint to create texture and depth, but in contrast the landscape becomes indistinct. Considering this was 1905, what materials were accessible, how were they made, and how did that influence Kustodiev’s choices in rendering himself against the field? The means of creating art, making portraits like this, would have only been afforded to certain people. Editor: So you’re focusing on the materiality and accessibility of the oil paint and the canvas itself? The context of the artwork's production. Curator: Exactly. What does it mean to represent oneself as both an artist *and* perhaps a member of the landed gentry with access to these materials? Look at the working man's cap and coat. How does the materiality, the texture of the paint create a portrait beyond the literal representation? Consider his access to hunting; what does that say about who got to engage with resources versus other workers? Editor: It's almost as though the painting itself becomes an artifact, revealing details about his social and economic standing through the very substance it is made from. Curator: Precisely. And further, who can afford to make these kinds of representations, what labor went into that production, and who got left out of this self-fashioned narrative. How does *that* then, change your reading? Editor: That reframes the way I see the portrait entirely. I was so caught up in the pose, but thinking about the materials and the act of creation, that opens it up to a completely different level of interpretation. Curator: Indeed, it’s about acknowledging the material realities behind even the most seemingly straightforward depictions.