Family Portrait (against Chinese panel) 1911

Pyotr Konchalovsky created this ‘Family Portrait’ with oil on canvas, with a fairly thick application of the paint. The texture is particularly visible in the background Chinese panel, and the children’s clothing. You can see how Konchalovsky applied the paint to build up the colors in layers, particularly visible in the bold reds and blues. It's clear that Konchalovsky used brushes of various sizes to achieve a range of effects, from broad strokes to finer details. The social context comes through in the contrast between the western-style clothing of the family, and the eastern subject of the panel in the background, suggesting a merging of cultures and an interest in cultural exchange. The poses of the figures are also important: the mother sits formally, while the children stand, perhaps reflecting their relative positions in the family. By examining the materials and making processes, we can gain a deeper understanding of the artist's intentions and the cultural context in which the work was created.