"Somovskaya Spades

[Жар-птица]

Konstantin Andreevich Somov, Russian painter, representative of Russian Symbolism and Art Nouveau. Born in St. Petersburg 18 (30) November 1869 the son of renowned art historian, AI Somov, which has long been the senior curator of the Hermitage. In 1888-1897 he studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, where he was responsible, in particular, in Repin's studio. In 1897-1899 attended school in Paris studio F. Kolarossi; during this period became acquainted with Alexander Benois and several other "miriskusnikov. Been heavily influenced by Western modern graphics (O. Beardsley), as well as paintings of the French Rococo. He was a member of the World of Art ". Died in Paris in 1960

Women's portraits Luba. In the late 1890's Somov began a portrait of the artist EM Martynova, better known in the history of art as "Lady in Blue" (1897-1900). EM Martynov, Luba classmate at the Academy of Arts, lived a short life. Hope its success, happiness, recognition is not realized. She died at 36 years of age from pulmonary disease. Somov created several of her portraits: pencil, watercolor and oil, but "Lady in Blue" became a unique symbol of the era. Figure EM Martynova, given the close-ups against the backdrop of thick green bush, behind which overlooks the alley of the park. Deep seated gentleman and a lady, as I pass, leaning on a cane, thoughtful gentleman, in which researchers have found similarities with the artist himself. His pale face "Ladies in Blue", her bare shoulders and chest, dark blue with fine white lace dress dominate the background of dark foliage, a beautiful young face infinitely sad, it feels pain, hopeless grief. The artist created a synthesis image: personal experience EM Martynova, he gave a symbolic meaning broken and drama characteristic of the society at the turn of the century. He himself was pleased with the portrait.

Читать дальше... 

In the following, in 1901 Somov perform another "portrait of the era" - an engraver and artist Anna Petrovna Ostroumova (later - Ostroumova-Lebedeva), which was already by then a member of the World of Art, often socialized with Somov in St. Petersburg and Paris, about What left some interesting memoirs. In the "Autobiographical Notes" it describes in detail his friendship with Somov, his lifestyle, tastes, love of music, particularly Mozart, whose works he often played. For information on how the artist worked on her portrait, she said: "In the winter of 1900-1901, the Konstantin Andreevich Somov decided to paint my portrait. He wrote me a very long time: 73 sessions, which lasted sometimes for four hours. I watched with interest the progress of his work. Somov first on the canvas in eight sessions did figure covering his watercolors and seeking similarities. then proceeded to oil painting, paints a highly diluted with some liquid. He began to write individual small plots, just finishing their (.. .) It is this ability in the course of three months to follow, without deviating, the task that he had initially set itself, when thought of this portrait, I was shocked. And his face changed, and the expression on it. Lighting happened today more than yesterday - nothing its not stray from the main, the original problem. He lost the artistic sense, which began so long ago, a portrait. Great was his artistic temperament, who gave him such a charge, such a rise to a continuation of a long process so thoroughly and consistently, to be held line, paint a portrait. Anna Petrovna notes that she "chatted, laughed, kept running, but was published in somovski" dreamy, sad figure. Just as in the portrait of 1896, Somov, presented a lively and energetic Anne Karlovna Benoit dreamy and melancholy, and in the portrait AP Ostroumova he showed no cheerful and flirtatious, and self-absorbed, dreamy, intelligent contemporary women. Such was his intuitive task - to reflect the era in women's images, to create a portrait, typical of the time, in accordance with their perception. Range of colors deep, dark, ranging from dark blue to purple and pink.

Creativity Luba in 1903, noted the new scenes and new style of performance. You receive a number of female characters, different in their emotional state, but with a common, retrospective nature: "Sleeping woman in blue dress," "Lady in a pink dress", "Lady in the box," "Lady," "Lady with a Lapdog" "Echo of the past tense." Sleeping woman in blue dress "begins a series of similar compositions, exquisitely performed, showing young women in the ancient interiors. The artist admires the nuances of dress, furniture, ruddy handsome faces sleeping. Images of "sleepers" have some erotic tinge that is found in the history of art, for example, Vermeer of Delft in the film "Girl Asleep" (1657).

The heroine of "magic" deliberately distance themselves: tired, languid, ugly, with a greenish skin and narrow eyes twinkling mysteriously, dressed in an old lush crinoline, it looks like a ghost materialized. In the hands of her mirror, where the flames intertwined human bodies. Distance themselves and the landscape. To infinity leaving the ranks of pots with plants, the river, on the banks of which are heated by the fire gentlemen and ladies. Composition enclosed in a frame of rose garlands, which flattens the space, makes the painting decorative and flirtatious. Suggestiveness "fatal" theme disappears, the work becomes similar to the vignette.

Plots the many somovskih retrospection becomes a lady, like the heroine of "magic" with the same strange ugly face (the antithesis of feminine pulchritude salon type?). She always coquettish, languidly-simpered or neuro-exalted, often posing in an old chair, playing with her fan, tying a scarf, strokes beloved dog, reading a love letter, shall be made sensual half asleep.

Many of these supposedly ancient portraits, miniatures written in pencil, brush and pen, colored with watercolor, others are made in the technique of gouache, tempera.

"Echo of the past tense" - is one of the most important works of this genre. Here, as in the portrait of "Lady in Blue", the artist combines the real and fantastic, the past and contemporary, romantic and domestic. But this time the heroine more conventional manner of execution. It seems the shadow of the past, visited the old house, where once lived. But the interior in the picture is vitally compelling.

Brightly lit green park in the background enhances the twilight of the room. The artist repeats this effect, many times a well proven them in full-scale interiors. Spinelessness posture contrasts with naelektrizovannostyu, excited eyes. In this volatile life of a person, coquettish, cunning, an expression which can not be unambiguous identity, - the chief charm of the work that you want to call a portrait - so characteristic of the model.

Embroidered on a red cushion dog - also echoes of the past. This naive and curious little thing makes a picture deromantiziruyuschee beginning. Mystical awe, and gentle irony there in this resurrection of the shadows of the past. Duality of feelings - admiration and irony - that defines the mood of many flashbacks Somov.

"Echo of the past tense" - the most mysterious, we can say - a prophetic picture, which is particularly a lot of contemporary wrote, trying to guess its meaning. In the foreground, directly facing the viewer, in a tense posture is sitting very thin girl with clenched in an artificial smile, lips and eyes fixed firmly, her face devoid of gentleness and feminine charm. It seems that if she spoke, we heard a sharp voice and commanding tone. A sumptuous, apparently masquerade dress "past tense" and the embroidery on the cape cozy chairs not soften this impression. Before us, no doubt, a new type - a girl of XX century. Artist caught these traits: strength, vigor, assertiveness. Interestingly, the background represents the view of the balcony and garden, reminiscent of the painting "On the balcony" (1901), but the place is quiet old lady took this aggressive heroine of modern times.

Among the best somovskih "ladies" are still "sleeping woman in a blue dress" and "Lady in a pink dress."

Fictional portraits of ladies, like all genres of art Somov, are evolving. Later, the ladies' considerably horosheyut, but lose the enigmatic appeal of early durnushek, which was to the tension of their inner life. Love yearning becomes a recurring stereotype of their experiences. Memorized and colder done execution style. Deprived of "nerve" somovskie "ladies" are converted into simple cabin pictures.

The risk of cavities and outer beauty "already beginning to be felt in such a perfect mastery of the work as" Sleeping young woman "(1909), the beautiful delicacy and detail of the letter. Black spot dress women stretching on the couch, Somov emphasizes gentle, "dead", as they say in the old days, shades of pink, purple, lilac.

[dedulya37]

Firebird,

It is a pity such a good text, and such small pictures. Do not see the beauty. : (