Portrait of Konstantin Andreevich Pyatnitsky, director of Rishelievskaya and II men's gymnasium 1895

This is Nikolai Kuznetsov’s painted portrait of Konstantin Andreevich Pyatnitsky, completed with oil on canvas. Oil painting, since the Renaissance, has been tied to the rise of merchant capitalism. The materials themselves – processed pigments suspended in linseed oil, stretched cloth, and fine brushes – speak to a complex network of trade and labor. In the execution, we see a skilled hand building up layers of thin glazes to create realistic effects of light and shadow on the subject's face. The painting’s dark palette and brushwork render the sitter’s garments with remarkable detail. These choices reflect not just Kuznetsov’s skill, but also his social position; he had the resources to purchase high-quality materials. So, next time you look at a painting, consider not just the image, but the material and social conditions that made it possible. It might just change your perspective, challenging any distinctions between craft and fine art.