Mercahnt's Wife Drinking Tea 1923

Boris Kustodiev made this painting of a merchant’s wife drinking tea, but its exact date is not known. It offers a window into the values and social structures of early 20th-century Russia. The figure’s ample form and leisurely tea-drinking signal prosperity and comfort, while the prominent samovar and rich pastries evoke traditional Russian hospitality. Kustodiev creates meaning through visual codes. Notice the woman’s confident gaze and relaxed posture, suggesting a woman comfortable in her social role. The setting, the accoutrements, her figure – all suggest a self-consciously conservative vision of Russian life. But Kustodiev made this during a time of immense social upheaval. One can't help but wonder if it is a critical commentary on the bourgeois lifestyle. To understand this painting better, explore the history of Russian merchant class and the art institutions of the time. Researching the social conditions that shaped Kustodiev’s artistic production is important in interpreting its significance.