Portrait of a young woman 

David Burliuk created this intimate oil painting, “Portrait of a Young Woman,” sometime in the mid-20th century. Burliuk, a key figure in the Russian avant-garde, emigrated to the United States in 1922. The sitter’s gaze drifts slightly to the right, set against a vibrant backdrop reminiscent of the ocean, a space often coded in art as feminine, full of possibility, and depth. Burliuk's portrait captures a moment of quiet introspection, an emotional state often associated with the experience of young women, who are caught between societal expectations and their own burgeoning sense of self. Burliuk developed an alternative narrative, a space where the young woman's interiority is centered. The visible brushstrokes and vivid colors also emphasize the artist's subjective experience of his sitter. This portrait is a powerful reminder of the complex interplay between identity and representation.