Portrait of the Chairman of the Azov-Don Commercial Bank in St. Petersburg, A.B. Nenttsel 1908

Editor: So, this is Ilya Repin's 1908 "Portrait of the Chairman of the Azov-Don Commercial Bank in St. Petersburg, A.B. Nenttsel," made with oil paint. It feels very stately, very formal, almost intimidating. What aspects of the work grab your attention? Curator: The chair is very ornate. Look at the wood and its craftmanship, a marked contrast to the man’s simple, dark clothing. Doesn’t it tell you something about wealth and class structure? About who can afford such craftsmanship? Editor: Definitely, it feels like the chair itself is performing status, maybe even more so than Nenttsel. So, you’re saying it’s the chair and not necessarily the sitter that gives the portrait its power? Curator: Precisely! Repin's choices around materials—the expensive pigments, the labor involved in the detailed rendering—and how these signify wealth are more central than Nenttsel's personality. How the tools and resources shape what we see and how we see it! Think about the social position and labor that made both the sitter's wealth and the portrait possible. How does understanding the socio-economic context influence how we value this artwork? Editor: It definitely shifts the focus. Instead of just admiring the artistic skill, I’m now considering the systems of power that allowed this portrait to exist. And all those layers are materialized, literally, in the paint. Curator: Exactly. Materialism allows us to question those power structures. This isn’t just a painting; it's a window into a very specific historical moment defined by labour, production, and inequality. Editor: I never considered the chair itself as a symbol of production. Thanks for highlighting that! Curator: My pleasure!