Konstantin Korovin: the artist’s life is only his work

Indeed, if you take seriously the work with the biography of the creator, without getting into a personal, secret, private life, which a decent person himself saves from immodest views, it turns out that his life is contained in his works. This Chekhovian thought applies to everyone without exception, including such a person as Konstantin Alekseevich Korovin.

Childhood

The future artist was born in Moscow in 1861. The family of grandfather Mikhail Emelyanovich was an Old Believer, that is, all the customs of antiquity were strictly observed. My grandfather had an affair that fed the whole family - “Yamskoe cart.” It should be clarified that the railway network will develop much later, in 25-30 years, and while letters and parcels are transported by horsemen coachmen, mostly state-owned. But private people also liked to do this business, and at the same time they didn’t leave their families for a long time. The most successful of them gradually gained capital and weight in society. Grandfather went to the merchants of the first guild. This was a man who, possessing capital, helped to get an artistic education to the future landscape painter Kamenev. And also helped the wanderer I.M. Pryanishnikov. He gave his son a university education. But after his death, the family went bankrupt, as the father of the future painter did not have business acumen. Little Konstantin Korovin with his family moves to Big Mytishchi. And the mother, who painted with watercolors and played the harp, instilled in her children a love of art.

Study

At the age of 14, a teenager enters the Moscow School of Painting and Sculpture. At this time, the family is almost begging. However, Konstantin Korovin studies with outstanding teachers. First, at A.K. Savrasov, and then at V.D. Polenova. They had a decisive influence on him, although the young man was eyeing the work of I.M. Pryanishnikov, and V.G. Perova.

Poetics and lyricism, which are always present in the works of A.K. Savrasov, his ability to find inconspicuous corners of nature, was reflected in the works of Korovin's “Late Snow” and “Early Spring”.

On the way to impressionism

V.D. Polenov the first of the teachers began to tell his students about the work of the Impressionists. Under the charm of a new direction, Konstantin Korovin writes “Portrait of a Chorus Girl,” which became landmark in Russian painting.

He conveyed by means of painting (color, his reflexes, light) the connection of the girl and nature. He is only 22 years old at this time, and he is naturally proud of this work. But contemporaries far from all understood the significance of this picture, did not feel that a new milestone was opening in painting in Russia.

The years spent in the school did not give him titles, as, incidentally, II. Levitan, but they raised a professional artist, a great colorist and poet.

Acquaintance with Savva Morozov

In the circle of S.I. Mamontova as a decorator Konstantin Korovin began his activities. Artist creates scenery for "Aida", "Lakme", "Carmen", which, unfortunately, have not been preserved. Here he developed his principles that he would later use when working, for example, at the Mariinsky Theater with the productions of “Prince Igor” and “Khovanshchina”: the colors of the artist’s work, their “lightness”, should help the performer enter the image.

His works at the Mariinsky and the Bolshoi Theater put him among a number of stage reformers, such as A.N. Benois, L.S. Bakst, A.Ya. Golovin.

The impact of impressionism

In the 80s, Konstantin Korovin began to regularly travel abroad. He studied the work of the Impressionists. He began to draw female figures, placing them against the light. In the works of the 90s, new interesting paintings appeared, “Paper Lanterns,” for example, with bright colors and virtuoso performance.

Paris had a special charm, which the artist conveyed in his canvases. This is the awakening of the city (“Paris in the morning”), and the glow of lights in the evenings (“Boulevard of Capuchin”), and “Paris after the rain”, and “Paris Cafe”.

Crimea occupies a special place in his work, where he came to visit Chekhov who was ill. During this period, the painting “Balcony in Crimea” permeated with light was painted. Later - "Gurzuf".

After the revolution, the artist lost his workshop, canvases, paints. However, he managed to capture the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky bridge.

This image is interesting to compare with the current bridge.Having moved from the capital to the Tver region, he continues to work. Then the “Portrait of Vakhtangov” and the “Portrait of Chaliapin” are created.

In 1922, the artist first left for Germany, and then to France. He died in 1939. By this time he had lost his sight and could no longer work as a painter. The search for a new language, new and new paintings - this is Konstantin Korovin. The biography is contained in his works.

The art of Konstantin Korovin is the art of a great talented master, with great color and a poetic outlook on life. The painter Konstantin Korovin did not live a long life in vain . The artworks - each time a revelation, an unexpected look, full of love and enthusiasm for life.