Portrait of Z.E. Roze 

Boris Kustodiev made this portrait of Z.E. Roze using pastel on paper. The artist was a member of the 'World of Art' movement in Russia, which sought to promote aestheticism and artistic freedom, opposing the strictly didactic art endorsed by the state. This particular portrait seems to embody that idea, because the sitter is positioned in a rather informal manner. She casually looks toward the viewer, as if interrupted from something. The loose and sketch-like use of pastel gives an impression of spontaneity that runs against the rigid formality of official portraiture. These were turbulent times for Russia, and the institutions of art were being challenged. Artists were torn between their traditional role of memorializing the powerful and the avant-garde demand for art to serve a revolutionary purpose. To fully appreciate this work, one can delve into the archives of Russian art movements, read manifestos, and study the biographies of artists and their patrons, all of which will help to position this artwork within its historical context.