Portrait of S. Shervinsky 1939

Martiros Sarian painted this portrait of S. Shervinsky using expressive brushstrokes and a muted palette of blues, purples, and earthy tones. Can you imagine Sarian's process? The canvas probably propped up, the smell of oil paint thick in the air as he steps back, squints, then lunges forward to capture a likeness of S. Shervinsky in those short strokes. I can almost feel the weight of the brush in his hand, the way the paint glides and resists. He's got these short, choppy brushstrokes creating a kind of textured surface, especially in the background. Those strokes feel like they are trying to describe the mountains. The way the brushstrokes define the contours of the face, they feel kind of searching, probing, and trying to grasp the essence of his sitter, right? That signature down in the bottom corner feels like a kind of flourish, a final mark of completion. And, you know, it is all part of this conversation that painters have across time, inspiring each other to see the world anew. It's all so ambiguous. Painting allows for this ongoing exploration, always open to new interpretations.