Illustration for "Singers" by Ivan Turgenev 1908

Boris Kustodiev made this illustration for Ivan Turgenev’s "Singers" with ink or charcoal, it looks like. The way Kustodiev has used the strokes, the dark and light, it’s all about the process of storytelling, almost like he’s drawing out the soul of the story. Look at how the light catches the back of the singer’s coat. It’s not just light, it’s like a spotlight, making him the center of our attention. The texture is rough, you can almost feel the wooden walls and the coarse fabric of the clothes. It’s like Kustodiev wants you to step right into this tavern. There’s so much depth created with so few tones, it’s like a stage set ready for a play. It reminds me a bit of Daumier, the way he captures a scene, and not just the scene, but the feeling. It's a space of endless interpretations.