Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev

Boris Mikhailovich Kustodiev (1878–1927) was a Russian painter who is best remembered for his caring portrayals of traditional Russian culture. Described by his fellow painter Isaak Brodsky as his country's "only true national painter," Kustodiev utilized a kaleidescopic palette and exuberant brushstrokes to depict joyful aspects of Russian life, even as the country was wracked by political crises and his own health deteriorated. An important contributor to late Imperial and early Soviet Russian art, Kustodiev's paintings are now held by institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the State Russian Museum, St. Petersburg.