#22890 Boris Kustodiev (1878-1927)

Description of Boris Kustodiev’s painting "Merchants

Kustodiev turned to the image of ordinary women more than once. He was magnetically attracted to enterprising, healthy-looking women. Therefore, the artist’s collection has a decent number of paintings on this subject. Among the array of canvases, the painting Merchants stands out in a qualitative way, where Kustodiev tried to convey the atmosphere of a medieval market. The picture appeared in 1912 and immediately received a positive evaluation of society.

In the center of the picture are four sumptuous ladies and talk about something. It seems that they are solving some important issues or discussing something. And one of them, the one in the yellow dress, demonstrates her disinterest in the conversation - her attention is attracted by a good fellow standing somewhere in the distance. The young girl’s face clearly shows the smile of a coquette.

Three women, clearly older, are discussing important matters. Their attire and hairstyles indicate that they have long been married. It is worth noting that the artist has tried to accurately convey the fashion of those times and from the picture you can establish the century that Kustodiev is talking about.

In the background, the artist did not miss a single detail. The painting harmoniously combines various viands, random passers-by, and even a ridiculous hanging clock in the window of one of the stores. Even such an inconspicuous element as grass sprouting through a stone road is not hidden from the artist’s gaze.

The painting takes art connoisseurs back to the Middle Ages, to the famous fairs that used to gather in the big cities of Kharkov, Novgorod and Kiev. The painting is simply permeated with the spirit of this era. Separate praise should be given to the artist for his skilful use of paint, each element complements the other and forms a coherent picture. In a word, not a picture, but a look-a-look-a-lot.