Portrait of Professor Beloborodov 1922

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin made this portrait of Professor Beloborodov using charcoal. The portrait is an essay in mark-making, isn’t it? I imagine Petrov-Vodkin coaxing the figure out of the ground of the paper through tentative strokes. I picture him, stepping back, squinting, then leaning in again, building the image through layer upon layer of shading. It's like he's trying to capture not just the professor's likeness, but something of his essence. There's a real weight to the charcoal, a density that gives the portrait a tactile presence. Look at the way Petrov-Vodkin has used light and shadow to define the planes of the professor's face. Each stroke feels deliberate, searching, as if the artist is trying to understand his subject on a deeper level. That soft focus around the edges keeps your eye moving, suggesting that the act of seeing is never fixed, but always in flux. I love how artists respond to each other across time, riffing on ideas, and pushing the boundaries of what painting can do.