15 Paintings, PORTRAIT OF A LADY, by Konstantin Korovin, with Footnotes. # 10

Korovin Konstantin [1861-1939]

Muse. 1887

Oil on canvas

The State Tretyakov Gallery

Konstantin Alekseyevich Korovin (5 December  1861 – 11 September 1939) was a leading Russian Impressionist painter.

Konstantin was born in Moscow to a merchant family officially registered as "peasants of Vladimir Gubernia". His father, Aleksey Mikhailovich Korovin, earned a university degree and was more interested in arts and music than in the family business established by Konstantin's grandfather. Konstantin's older brother Sergei Korovin was a notable realist painter. Konstantin's relative Illarion Pryanishnikov was also a prominent painter of the time and a teacher at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.

In 1875 Korovin entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, where he studied with Vasily Perov and Alexei Savrasov. His brother Sergei was already a student at the school. During their student years, the Korovins became friends with fellow students Valentin Serov and Isaac Levitan; Konstantin maintained these friendships throughout his life.

Konstantin Korovin (1861–1939)

Portrait SN Galitzine. 1886

Oil on canvas

Collection of the State Tretyakov Gallery

In 1881–1882, Korovin spent a year at the Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, but returned disappointed to the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. He studied at the school under his new teacher Vasily Polenov until 1886.

Konstantin Korovin (1861–1939)

"Paris Cafe" (second half 1890)

Oil on canvas

The paintings, inspired by Paris, shows Korovin's strong impressionism. A cozy corners Parisian café with vistas of the boulevard. The subtlest tonal gradations of light transmits the smallest details of the effects of: humidity, light fog, light halos sunlight, condensation and rarefied atmosphere. The picture is full of the cheer and happiness, that distinguishes most of the artist's paintings.

Korovin Konstantin [1861-1939]

Spaniard. 1894

Oil on canvas

58 x 33 cm

In 1885 Korovin traveled to Paris and Spain. "Paris was a shock for me … Impressionists… in them I found everything I was scolded for back home in Moscow", he later wrote.

Konstantin Korovin (1861–1939)

"In the balcony. Leonora and Ampara Spanish flu" (1888-1889)

Oil on canvas

Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia

The painting was begun in 1888 in Valencia, during a trip to Spain, and finished in 1889 in Moscow. To thank the girls posing, Ampara and Leonora, the artist presented them with their favorite shoes and shawls of Chinese silk. In 1889, Korovin made his debut with the "Spanish flu" in the exhibition of the Wanderers, and in 1900 won the gold medal in the framework of the Russian exposition at the World Exhibition in Paris. This contributed to his European and world-famous renown. "Spanish flu" was important because color was an evident attitude for the painter, "warming" tone. Light, moving impressionistic brushstrokes are combined with decorative Art Nouveau. More

In 1888 Korovin traveled with Mamontov to Italy and Spain, where he produced the painting On the Balcony, Spanish Women Leonora and Ampara (above). Konstantin traveled within Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia and exhibited with the Peredvizhniki. He painted in the Impressionist, and later in the Art Nouveau, styles.

In the 1890s Korovin became a member of the Mir iskusstva art group.

Konstantin Korovin (1861–1939)

"Northern Idyll" (1892)

Oil on canvas

State Tretyakov Gallery

The idea for this ​​painting came to Korovin while working on a design for the opera "The Snow Maiden" based on the play by Alexander Ostrovsky. At the time the artist was working in the theater and often turned to the subject of folklore. In the picture are clearly visible innovative techniques Korovin in theatrical decorative art. Strong contrast of bright, saturated colors of the national costumes, combined with dark tones vechereyuschego sky, eclectic detailed landscape images and generalized patches of color figures. This was new to the theater. The painting reflects the poetic relationship between man and nature, it carries the Russian national coloring.

Korovin Konstantin [1861-1939]

Study for the painting "Northern Idyll." 1886

Oil on canvas

The State Russian Museum

Korovin's subsequent works were strongly influenced by his travels to the north. In 1888 he was captivated by the stern northern landscapes seen in The Coast of Norway and the Northern Sea.

Korovin Konstantin [1861-1939]

Portrait ON Alyab'evoy. 1889

Oil on canvas

The State Tretyakov Gallery

His second trip to the north, with Valentin Serov in 1894, coincided with the construction of the Northern Railway. Korovin painted a large number of landscapes: Norwegian Port, St. Triphon's Brook in Pechenga, Hammerfest: Aurora Borealis, The Coast at Murmansk and others. The paintings are built on a delicate web of shades of grey. The etude style of these works was typical for Korovin's art of the 1890s.

orovin Konstantin [1861-1939]

Paper lanterns, c. 1898

Oil on canvas

37.5 x 51.5 cm

Chuvash State Art Museum

In 1900 Korovin designed the Central Asia section of the Russian Empire pavilion at the Paris World Fair and was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French government.

Konstantin Korovin (1861-1939)

Creek, c. 1902

Oil on canvas

Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia

In the beginning of the 20th century, Korovin focused his attention on the theater. He moved from Mamontov's opera to the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Departing from traditional stage decor, which only indicated the place of action, Korovin produced a mood decor conveying the general emotions of the performance. Korovin designed sets for Konstantin Stanislavsky's dramatic productions, as well as Mariinsky's operas and ballets. He did the stage design for such Mariinsky productions as Faust (1899), The Little Humpbacked Horse (1901), and Sadko (1906) that became famous for their expressiveness.

Konstantin Korovin (1861-1939)

Près de la Fenêtre

Oil on canvas

In 1905 Korovin became an Academician of Painting and in 1909–1913 a professor at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.

One of the artist's favourite themes was Paris. He painted A Paris Cafe (1890s), Cafe de la Paix (1905), La Place de la Bastille (1906), Paris at Night, Le Boulevard Italien (1908), Night Carnival (1901), Paris in the Evening (1907), and others.

Korovin Konstantin [1861-1939]

Nadezhda Komarovskaya, c. 1910

Oil on canvas

During World War I Korovin worked as a camouflage consultant at the headquarters of one of the Russian armies and was often seen on the front lines. After the October Revolution Korovin continued to work in the theater, designing stages for Richard Wagner's Die Walküre and Siegfried, as well as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker (1918–1920).

Korovin Konstantin [1861-1939]

In A Room, c.  1919

Oil on canvas

Voronezh Regional Museum of Fine Arts (Kramskoi Museum), Voronezh, Russia

Korovin Konstantin [1861-1939]

Portrait Of A Woman, c. 1912

Oil on canvas

National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia

In 1923 Korovin moved to Paris on the advice of Commissar of Education Anatoly Lunacharsky to cure his heart condition and help his handicapped son. There was supposed to be a large exhibition of Korovin's works, but the works were stolen and Korovin was left penniless. For years, he produced the numerous Russian Winters and Paris Boulevards just to make ends meet.

Korovin Konstantin [1861-1939]

Woman With Guitar, c. 1919

Oil on canvas

Apartment Museum of Joseph Brodsky, Saint Petersburg, Russia

In the last years of his life he produced stage designs for many of the major theatres of Europe, America, Asia and Australia, the most famous of which is his scenery for the Turin Opera House's production of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's The Golden Cockerel.


Korovin died in Paris on 11 September 1939.

Acknowledgement: Wikipedia, Evening Moscow, 

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