Portrait of Berthe Popoff in a floral fascinator 1941

Zinaida Serebriakova drew "Portrait of Berthe Popoff in a floral fascinator" in Paris, 1941. The soft, powdery pastels bring Berthe into being, mark by mark, as though she is slowly emerging from a dream. The first thing I notice is the texture. See how the pastel is built up in layers, creating a velvety surface that seems to absorb light? The strokes around the eyes are especially tender, and the lilac flowers are impressionistic with the lightest touch. It's about capturing a fleeting moment, an expression that might vanish if you blink. But then you see the firmness of the line around the mouth, and you know that Berthe is steady and sure of herself. It reminds me a little of Berthe Morisot, who was also interested in capturing the nuances of everyday life. Both artists seem to be saying that beauty is not something grand or monumental but something delicate and intimate, which can be found in the ordinary. It's up to us to keep that conversation going.