Self Portrait 1910

Boris Kustodiev made this small self-portrait on canvas in 1912, and right away you see how he's diving into the process of looking at himself. The vertical stripes behind him aren't just background; they create this immediate, graphic space, and the colors are really singing. I love how the white of the stripes peeks through, making the blues feel alive and the reds vibrate. It's all about the material—thin paint, loose brushstrokes, nothing hidden. It’s like he’s saying, "Here's me, here’s how I see myself, with all the imperfections and process laid bare." Look at the confident way he handles the face. It's not about perfection, but about capturing a presence, a feeling. It reminds me of how Van Gogh would just throw paint at the canvas, not to mimic reality, but to find a deeper truth. Both of them find this deeper truth by embracing the messiness of being human.