Palace of Great Prince Vladimir Alexandrovich 

Editor: This watercolor painting is called "Palace of Great Prince Vladimir Alexandrovich" by Albert Benois. The detail is amazing, but the scene also feels muted, maybe because of the medium. What draws your attention when you look at this? Curator: Well, I'm particularly interested in the choice of watercolor here. It wasn't just about aesthetics, but about access. Watercolor allowed for quick sketches and studies en plein air. Think about it: who had the time and resources to create large-scale oil paintings on the streets? The artist's labor here, his act of observation, is almost performative. It's a fleeting moment captured because of the very material he chose. How does the application of watercolor change your perception of it being a "palace?" Editor: That’s interesting. I hadn’t considered the limitations of other media in that setting. The quick application almost makes it feel more accessible, like a snapshot. The grandeur of the palace is sort of undermined by the informal medium, which does seem radical. Curator: Exactly! Benois uses this traditionally “lower” medium to depict high society. This blurring of artistic categories, high and low, aligns with a period where rigid class structures were beginning to face considerable challenge. The making of the art becomes a subtle act of commentary. It forces us to question: who gets to represent whom and with what materials? Consider what is literally consumed in art-making: the pigments, paper, water—it’s not removed from political consumption either. Editor: So, it’s less about the Prince himself and more about Benois’s choices and how they speak to a bigger picture. I never would have looked at it that way initially, but I appreciate the nuance now! Curator: Precisely. It's not simply a representation, but a commentary facilitated by material choice and the artist's practice within a specific social context.