Zinaida Serebriakova (1884-1967)

Painted in 1933, Portrait of Katya in a red blouse depicts the artist’s daughter confidently seated in a large wooden chair against a green-hued wall. At first glance, the composition seems overly simple, simplistic even. However, the turn of the head, the gaze, the barely noticeable half-smile, the locks of hair carelessly tucked behind the ear – every detail and implied gesture brings life, light, movement and grace to the subject. It is not the same young girl from the artist’s earlier paintings from her Russian period; now it is a young woman looking at us from the painting. There is a sense that the artist is admiring her daughter; she lovingly paints the delicate oval of her face, her beautiful dark eyes and wavy hair.