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Konstantin Korovin

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Konstantin Korovin
1891 portrait byValentin Serov
Born5 December [O.S.23 November] 1861
Moscow,Russian Empire
Died11 September 1939(1939-09-11)(aged 77)
Paris,France
EducationMoscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture
Known forPainting
Notable work
  • Hammerfest: Aurora Borealis1894–1895
  • Portrait of Feodor Chaliapin1915
MovementImpressionism
Awards

Konstantin (Constantin) Alekseyevich Korovin(Russian:Константи́н Алексе́евич Коро́вин;5 December [O.S.23 November] 1861 – 11 September 1939) was a leading RussianImpressionistpainter.

Biography[edit]

Youth and education[edit]

Konstantin was born into a wealthy merchant family ofOld Believers[1]and his mother was from the nobility, although they were officially registered as "peasants" fromVladimirGubernia".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 brotherSergei Korovinwas a notablerealistpainter. Konstantin's relativeIllarion Pryanishnikovwas also a prominent painter of the time and a teacher at theMoscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.

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

In 1881–1882, Korovin spent a year at theImperial Academy of ArtsinSt. Petersburg,but returned disappointed to the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. He studied at the school under his new teacherVasily Polenovuntil 1886.

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.

Early works[edit]

Korovin.On the Balcony, Spanish Women Leonora and Amparo,1897–1898

Polenov introduced Korovin toSavva Mamontov'sAbramtsevo Circle:Viktor Vasnetsov,Apollinary Vasnetsov,Ilya Repin,Mark Antokolskyand others. The group's love for stylized Russian themes is reflected in Korovin's pictureA Northern Idyll.In 1885 Korovin worked for Mamontov's opera house, designing the stage decor forGiuseppe Verdi'sAida,Léo Delibes'LakméandGeorges Bizet'sCarmen.

In 1888 Korovin traveled with Mamontov to Italy and Spain, where he produced the paintingOn the Balcony, Spanish Women Leonora and Ampara.Konstantin traveled within Russia, theCaucasusandCentral Asiaand exhibited with thePeredvizhniki.He painted in the Impressionist, and later in theArt Nouveau,styles.

In the 1890s Korovin became a member of theMir iskusstvaart group.

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

His second trip to the north, withValentin Serovin 1894, coincided with the construction of theNorthern Railway.Korovin painted a large number of landscapes:Norwegian Port,St. Triphon's Brook in Pechenga,Hammerfest: Aurora Borealis,The Coast atMurmanskand others. The paintings are built on a delicate web of shades of grey. Theetude styleof these works was typical for Korovin's art of the 1890s.

Using material from his trip, Korovin designed the Far North pavilion at the1896 All Russia ExhibitioninNizhny Novgorod.He painted ten big canvasses for the pavilion as well, depicting various aspects of life in the northern and Arctic regions. After the closure of the Exhibition, the canvasses were eventually placed in theYaroslavsky Rail Terminalin Moscow. In the 1960s, they were restored and transferred to theTretyakov Gallery.[2]

In 1900 Korovin designed theCentral Asiasection of theRussian Empirepavilion at theParis World Fairand was awarded theLegion of Honourby the French government.

St. Triphon's Brook inPechenga,1894

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

In 1905 Korovin became anAcademicianof Painting and in 1909–1913 a professor at theMoscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.

One of the artist's favourite themes was Paris. He paintedA 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.

During World War I Korovin worked as acamouflageconsultant at the headquarters of one of the Russian armies and was often seen on the front lines. After theOctober RevolutionKorovin continued to work in the theater, designing stages forRichard Wagner'sDie WalküreandSiegfried,as well asPyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky'sThe Nutcracker(1918–1920).

In 1923 Korovin moved to Paris on the advice of Commissar of EducationAnatoly Lunacharskyto 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 numerousRussian WintersandParis Boulevardsjust to make ends meet.

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 theTurin Opera House's production ofNikolai Rimsky-Korsakov'sThe Golden Cockerel.

Korovin died in Paris on 11 September 1939. He was buried inSainte-Geneviève-des-Bois Russian Cemetery,in the southern suburbs of Paris.

Konstantin's sonAlexey Korovin(1897–1950) was a notable Russian-French painter. Because of an accident during his childhood he had both feet amputated. Alexey committed suicide in 1950.

Works[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Brief biography@ RusArtNet.
  2. ^Чурак, Г. С. (2012).Монументально-декоративные панно Константина Коровина(in Russian).Moscow:Tretyakov Gallery.pp. 259–289.ISBN978-5-4350-0020-7.

External links[edit]

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