Portrait of the composer S. S. Prokofiev Zinaida Serebryakova (1884-1967)

The drawing presents a bust-length portrait of a man facing forward, his gaze directed towards the viewer. The artist has rendered him with a directness that eschews elaborate ornamentation or background detail; the focus remains entirely on the subjects face and upper torso. A dark suit jacket is visible beneath an open collar shirt secured by a bow tie, suggesting a formal yet relaxed demeanor.
The man’s features are sharply defined: high forehead, prominent cheekbones, and a strong jawline contribute to an impression of intellectual intensity. The eyes possess a certain guardedness, hinting at complexity beyond the surface. A subtle flush on his cheeks and nose introduces a touch of vitality, preventing the portrait from appearing overly austere.
The artist’s technique is characterized by loose, expressive strokes that capture the texture of skin and fabric with remarkable immediacy. The use of muted earth tones – ochres, browns, grays – creates a sense of understated elegance. Light falls primarily from the left, illuminating one side of his face while leaving the other in shadow, which enhances the three-dimensionality of the figure and adds depth to the composition.
Subtly, there is an element of vulnerability conveyed through the slightly downturned mouth and the overall impression of quiet introspection. The absence of any props or symbolic objects encourages a direct engagement with the subject’s personality rather than relying on external identifiers. The inscription at the bottom right corner, though partially obscured, provides contextual information regarding the date (1926) and age (12 years), which adds another layer to understanding the portraits significance. It suggests a moment captured in time, a glimpse into the character of an individual during a specific period of his life.