Portrait of a record-setter in work productivity 1932

Kazimir Malevich made this portrait in oil paint, a common enough material, but the way he applies it gives us much to think about. Notice how the paint isn't blended smoothly, but laid on in hatched strokes? This gives the surface a rough, almost fabric-like texture. You can feel the artist’s hand and the repetitive motion of applying each stroke. It's not just a picture *of* work, but a picture *made* through work. The subject, a supposed “record-setter in work productivity,” is rendered with the same laborious technique. This speaks to the dignity of labor, and the social context of early 20th-century Russia, where industrialization and the glorification of the worker were central themes. Malevich seems to be elevating the act of painting itself to the level of productive labor. He challenges any divide between intellectual and manual work. He asks us to see the value and the effort embedded in both.