Portrait of Konstantin Nicolayevich Igumnov 1923

Boris Kustodiev rendered this portrait of Konstantin Igumnov using a combination of graphite pencil and sanguine on paper. Kustodiev painted in an era defined by social upheaval and the search for national identity, particularly within the Russian artistic and intellectual circles. Looking at the artist’s portrait of Igumnov, we see more than just a likeness; we see a man presented with a stark, almost unsettling realism. Igumnov is captured in profile, with a direct gaze that seems to both confront and invite the viewer. The work dispenses with romantic idealization, instead offering a raw and honest depiction that resonates with the broader cultural shift towards portraying the individual within the realities of their time. Kustodiev, through his intimate portrayal, reflects a broader societal move towards acknowledging the individual as complex and multifaceted.