What does Kustodiev’s “merchant’s wife at tea” hide: a Revolutionary Manifesto or a reflection of the artist’s personal tragedy

One of Boris Kustodiev’s favorite characters is the merchant’s wife. The artist wrote a lot of them and in different interpretations. His most famous merchant’s wife, Boris Kustodiev wrote with the countryman, Astrakhan Baroness Galina of Adergas. Unremarkable at first glance, the plot hides a reflection of the society of that time, social holes and personal problems of the artist.

Boris Kustodiev adopted the theme of merchant life from warm and bright memories of a happy childhood and youth. Continue reading →