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For Breakfast

Zinaida Serebriakova • Painting, 1914, 88.5×107 cm
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About the artwork
This artwork was added since it is referred to in the materials below
Art form: Painting
Subject and objects: Still life, Genre scene
Style of art: Realism
Technique: Oil
Materials: Canvas
Date of creation: 1914
Size: 88.5×107 cm
Artwork in selections: 92 selections
Exhibitions history
Zinaida Serebriakova
April 5 − July 30, 2017
Corps of engineers

Description of the artwork «For Breakfast»

"As for Breakfast, when lunch is served?"– surprised the audience. But in the house of Life was adopted by the European diet is more physiological than the usual three meals a day consisting of Breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the morning was served "a small Breakfast", and at noon was followed by what we call lunch, tight second Breakfast. About it and speech.

The table shows three eldest children of the artist. On the far side – eight-year-old Jack, in the foreground is Sasha, who is 6-7 years old, right two year old nanny. Junior, Katusha, at the table yet, it is still in the hands of the nurse.

Individual character is someone adult the soup. We don't know who's grandma, nanny or cook. But her arms add comfort and sense of security picture. Children are not abandoned, they are under supervision, they are fed. Watch how a child eats – special, understood every mother's feeling. It's about what the kids here, they're fine, they are well fed and healthy.

The hands in this portrait there is written masterfully: the soup of the hand of an adult woman, soft, plump hands Tats, long fingers already big Zhenya, Sasha's hand squeezed it with a spoon – not as stretched as the older brother, yet fraught with echoes of children's bulk, but is much more "adult" than infant hand Tats.

The composition seems spontaneous, but it is obvious that it was well thought out and agreed upon. In addition to the magnificent work of the portraitist draws attention to itself and still life. Serebryakova perfectly conveys the texture of objects: matte light silver, brilliant yellow side of the jug, roasted crust of bread, the contrast of materials, the weight of wooden chairs, soft white tablecloth that connects the objects and characters around him.

This work is one of the most intimate and charming works Serebryakova. She for many years became the sample of family and children's portraiture. According to Alexander Benois, Zinaida Serebriakova, "no rivals" in this genre.

Picture "For Breakfast"appeared out of nowhere. Preliminary portraits, sketches – they have a noticeable skill with which Serebryakov writes of children: maternal tone of infinite tenderness and the slightest hint of mush, sentimentality, lisping. So the child sees loving his mother, not the ladies in the cabin, touches above the main variant of an abstract angel of curls. Work that precedes the appearance of "Breakfast": "So fell asleep Binka", "Portrait Of Eugene", "The child".

If you try to compare children's portraits Serebryakova with someone, do with the classics. However, she is such an analogy would be outraged to the core, because there is a very modestly estimated his own talent and adored classics.

Author: Alain Esaulova
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