Sketch panel Stepan Razin 1918

Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin made this sketch panel, Stepan Razin, with pencil, ink and sauce. The process is clearly visible, the smudgy shading with its tonal range, from almost white to velvety dark. The physical presence of the medium is tangible; you can see the artist’s hand at work, building up the image through layers of marks. Look at the face of the main figure, the rebel leader. It's rendered with such care, and the soft modeling is a world apart from the scratchy treatment of the crowd, as if the artist wanted us to connect with Stepan Razin on a human level. This sketch reminds me of the German Expressionist Kathe Kollwitz and her stark, socially conscious prints, where the medium itself becomes a tool for expressing the raw realities of life. Art is always an ongoing conversation, where each artist borrows, transforms, and adds their voice to the mix. It's never about fixed meanings.