Shrove-Tide 1919

Boris Kustodiev made this painting of Shrove-Tide with oil on canvas. Look at that light, ice-blue snow, thick and textured, like frosting piped onto a cake. The whole scene feels festive, a bit theatrical, and definitely handmade. The way Kustodiev builds up the paint, especially in the snowy trees, it’s like he’s sculpting with color. Up close, you can almost feel the chill, but from a distance, it’s all joyful movement and light. Check out the way the horses are painted, each dash and dab of paint seems to capture their energy. It’s not about perfection, it’s about capturing a feeling, a moment. Kustodiev reminds me of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, in that he creates a world that's both real and imagined. It’s this tension that makes the painting so alive and keeps it open to endless interpretation.