Portrait of a Governor-General of Finland N.I. Bobrikov 1903

Editor: Here we have Boris Kustodiev's 1903 oil painting, "Portrait of a Governor-General of Finland N.I. Bobrikov." It feels very formal, almost…heavy. There's a weightiness to the subject and the brushstrokes. What stands out to you in this portrait? Curator: Oh, heavy is right. But I wonder if Kustodiev wasn't intentionally capturing a man burdened by his role, a cog in the Tsarist machine, in those tumultuous times. Look at the impasto—the thick paint—especially around his face. It's like a mask, isn’t it? It gives the Governor-General a kind of strained facade. But behind the weightiness, you see, I feel something human trying to shine through the paint somehow, don’t you? I mean it almost screams his duty or position to hold firm versus inner feeling. Is he troubled by the role, do you think? Editor: That's fascinating. I hadn't considered that the heavy application of paint could be a kind of barrier. I was just seeing the official, imposing figure. But now, looking at it again, you are correct; those eyes have seen some history, right? I like the red coming out against the uniform to demonstrate importance, do you know any background for using the colors of importance here? Curator: Red in Tsarist Russia was about power, of course. But it’s also about blood, about sacrifice, which they would never directly imply for someone of power and governance in this moment. Red isn’t just the communist colour, don’t forget, Editor! Kustodiev was painting this right before the 1905 revolution. What seems static on the surface, the formal portrait, is actually trembling with the unease of a society on the edge. But that's only if you go beyond seeing this individual for who he is, which you do; what can be gathered from this notion to see past individual roles, Editor? Editor: You've given me a lot to think about, definitely changed my first impression! The artwork feels much more complex, much more human now, even when it didn’t on first glance. Now that you point it out it is quite hard to ignore. Curator: Well, perhaps that's the magic of Kustodiev. Thank you!