Portrait of Chaliapin Boris Kustodiev (1878-1927)

Description of Boris Kustodiev’s Portrait of Chaliapin

Despite the fact that the famous portrait painter was seriously ill, he did not show, as artists - Peredvizhniki, all the hardships and deprivations of life of the people. On the contrary, winter for the artist, it is a merry sledding, farangs, carousels, festive folk festivities, brightness and colorfulness. A direct contrast to the gray and boring life. For Kustodiev Chaliapin was an idol from his youth and a friend. This is a favorite composition of the artist. The first plan of the painting is enlarged. The bottom has a large space. The long-awaited spring is just around the corner. The people have poured out into the street to welcome spring. But winter is still clinging and doesn’t want to give way. This can be seen in the snow-covered drifts. You can see a group of people having fun sledding. Stalls and fairground stalls are everywhere. And above all this fun stands the statuesque figure of Fyodor Ivanovich Chaliapin in a fur coat wide open. And next to him stands a cheerful pug. The master had to ask him to put the cat on an elevated position, so that the pug, looking at it, could "pose" for the artist. The singer as if from his height looks around the unfamiliar town where he will have to perform. The poster for his concert is at the bottom of the hill. Chaliapin walks through the streets of the town in anticipation that all the audience will appreciate his talent. The artist allowed himself a share of slyness and showed the narcissism of the famous singer. The character is dressed in an open coat, even though it’s still freezing outside. We can see that his clothes are made of beaver fur. Chaliapin has an expensive ring on his little finger. He is wearing suede boots, it is clear at once that it is not in the weather. And the singer has to lean on a cane made of valuable wood to avoid slipping and falling on the slippery road. In the background of the picture you can see the daughters of Fyodor Chaliapin: Marina and Marfa, and his friend and secretary Dvorishchin. The artist performed this painting twice in 1921 and 1922.