When the artist Somov suddenly pops up involuntarily in his memory, a poetic portrait of a sad girl also appears nearby. For the author of the article, he is a visiting card of the painter. We’ll start the review with him.
Portrait of Elizabeth Mikhailovna Martynova
Later, when the portrait is in the State Tretyakov Gallery, it will be shortly called “Lady in Blue”. By this time, when the portrait was painted, that is, in 1897-1900, the painter found his own path in art and was confident in his abilities. In this poetic appearance, a new image of perfect femininity, its peak, which is in no way combined with gray everyday life or everyday vanity, is created.
In the foreground of a conditional park, near a lushly overgrown shrub with withered leaves, stands a young woman in ancient lace of a very low-necked dress made of faded blue moire. She is inspired by an unknown tragedy that broke her. Her hand with a volume of poetry is powerlessly lowered. The woman’s left hand is helplessly held to her chest. She is lonely and longing. The "lady in blue" is fragile, pale and thin. A pained blush covers her cheeks. Despite the stylization of the costume, it is perceived as a modern person, whose spiritual world is complex. The figure of the model with a thin neck, sloping shoulders takes on special grace against the backdrop of a thickening evening and grayish clouds running across the sky. Why did she have such a nagging melancholy, deep sadness in her eyes, sorrow in her tender, unsmiling lips? The future artist Martynova was familiar to everyone as a cheerful and cheerful person. The artist Somov was able to see the external beyond. Four years after the portrait was written, Elizaveta Mikhailovna will die of tuberculosis.
The sophistication of the model is remarkably conveyed by pictorial means: the subtlest colorful nuances appear due to glaze, the bluish shadows that lie on the face and open shoulders are transparent.
The genre scene in the background and the dense shrub further isolate the "Beautiful Lady" from the world.
The youth of the painter
We briefly outline his life path. Somov Konstantin Andreevich (1869-1939) was born in St. Petersburg in the family of the keeper of the Hermitage, Ivan Andreevich and Nadezhda Konstantinovna Somov. His mother was an educated man and an excellent musician. Two sons grew up in the creative environment: Vladimir and Konstantin - and daughter Anna. K. Somov studied at the gymnasium of K. May, where the basis was a friendly atmosphere. He did not graduate from this educational institution, since he was not given any natural objects. In the gymnasium, he met with V. Nouvel, D. Philosopher, A. Benoit. The latter supported the flourishing talent in every possible way and helped the young Somov, who was unsure of himself, to believe in himself.
Becoming an artist
For four years, the future Russian painter comprehended the basics of drawing and color at the Academy, and then continued his studies with I. E. Repin. He was not satisfied with the images of the Wanderers, since at the turn of the eras he did not see anything new in them: all the same democracy and social enlightenment. Reality pushed him away. Somov was immersed in the atmosphere of the rococo of the XVIII century, the music of Gluck and Mozart, in languid gavot and minuets, memoirs, poetry and prose of that time. Sources of inspiration for him were old albums, on the pages of which he found characteristic visual signs of poses, gait, gestures, costumes, hairstyles.
The artist did not want to become a copyist. This artistic language could reveal the soul of modern man. That period of time cannot be called puritanical. An example is placed above: “Silhouette. Kiss ”, which will be included in the Book of the Marquise later in a slightly different version.
Paris late 19th century
During the years 97-98, the artist Somov lived and studied in Paris. He became interested in the art of Watteau, Largillier, Fragonard and the modern Pre-Raphaelites: O. Beardsley and D. Whitler. It was an aesthetic to the tips of the nails. Together with Benoit, he sought out second-hand book dealers from old books depicting absurdities and curiosities. He, like all Symbolists, was afraid to seem ridiculous with his ladies and gentlemen, Harlequins, Colombins, Pierrot and was covered in a mask of irony.
Return to Russia
In 1899, K. Somov returned to St. Petersburg as an established artist and completed the portrait of E. M. Martynova described above. Continuing the theme of femininity, Konstantin Somov fills the paintings with eroticism: “Echo of the Past Tense”, “Lady in a Pink Dress”, “Sleeping Woman in a Blue Dress”, “Sorceress”, “Colombine”.
He leaves no room for hypocrisy and pretense, and demonstrates not the best, but the fatal qualities of a woman, their false and destructive side. To paraphrase a critic of his time, we can say that the artist Somov from Madonna created Eve, the seducer.
Harmony in creativity
Landscapes painted from nature are always the exact opposite of his conventional masquerade and puppet characters. He searches and transfers to the canvas all the most fragile and elusive: the ghostly light of white nights, the glare of the sun on the tender grass.
So there appeared in 1919 a masterpiece written by Konstantin Somov - “Rainbow”. This year is terrible for the country, and the landscape is serene, filled with peace and radiant light. After a thunderstorm, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, everything flooded with its own rays, and a rainbow appeared. Women under umbrellas admire her: raindrops still pour from the birch trees with the slightest breath of wind. The whiteness of the trunks, the delicate ligature of foliage and leaves, the bright fresh greens of young grass washed with rain, free space and small bushes captivate the viewer.
Gallant scenes
The theatrical canvas, written by Konstantin Somov, “Harlequin and the Lady,” introduces us into a world full of conventions, where feelings are hidden behind a mask. Are they there? Isn't this a game of love? A passing hobby, coquetry, when you need to fall in love easily and beautifully, without affecting the depths of the soul, today in one, and tomorrow - in another.
The lady and the gentleman are walking in the depths of the alley, but their doubles, Harlequin and Colombina, who are just cardboard dolls, come to the fore. The artist uses gouache and watercolor, either saturating the picture with color, or masterly making it transparent. She is filled with magic and caustic irony over coy manners. Refined theatrical scenery that surrounds the heroes: the hanging branches create an arch, the fantastic lights of fireworks sparkle in the night. Next to Harlequin, who opened his face by removing his mask, is a basket of artificial flowers. The whole work as a whole is very impressive thanks to the contrasting color scheme, the play of lights, the sophistication of the toilets.
Homosexual
Now you won’t surprise anyone. But we will not delve into the piquant details of the artist’s life. We will only say that in his life there were hobbies, and a strong passionate love for Methodius Georgievich Lukyanov, who later became ill and slowly died of tuberculosis. He died in Paris in the 32nd year. One of his hobbies was Mikhail Kuzmin.
By the time he met Somov, he made his debut with the scandalous story “Wings”. Unlike K. Somov, Kuzmin was illegible in communications. He wanted the artist to paint his
portrait. The portrait was painted in 1909. This is another frozen and somewhat arrogant mask. The face is unnaturally white. It creates a contrast with a bright scarlet tie.
M. Voloshin saw in his eyes the sadness of centuries, and A. Blok - an anachronism.
After the revolution
In 1918, a complete publication with erotic drawings by Konstantin Somov, the Book of the Marquise, was published. The illustrations for her are very reminiscent of Aubrey Beardsley, only in color. For the first time this book was published in 1907 in German. Expanded and supplemented, it was published in France in the 18th year, and the most complete latest edition appeared in Russia. In it, fragments from the literary works of various authors of the “gallant century” were provided with illustrations by the Russian painter. She instantly parted and became a rare rare edition. Since we are not in India, where lingams are found at every step, we will give one of the most modest illustrations.
Somov Konstantin Andreyevich worked, engraving the metal, and then painted the drawing with watercolors. The delicate taste of Somov saved him from pornography. Charming shamelessness, frivolity and intense sensuality - all this is present in the book. A simple listing of some names gives the concept of the nature of the drawings: “Kiss”, “Persistent lover”, “Alcove”. The artist is not a direct illustrator of the text. With his drawings, he got ahead of the book “Lady Chatterley's Lover”, which was published in the 28th year with a scandal.
Self portrait
The artist often painted himself in different years of life. But on any he is a dandy. His clothes are exquisite, the color is restrained. In the young and in later years, the artist carefully, coldly and detachedly peers into himself.
His 1934 work is interesting, where the main part in the foreground is still life. Before us is a dressing table. In a low
crystal vase is a fading rose. So immediately there is an association with the decline of life. He is 65 years old. Elegant bow ties and a clothes brush lie nearby, there are several crystal bottles with expensive colognes that are partially used. In the depths is a mirror on which light does not fall. It is in it that the viewer sees a part of the face with silver-plated gray hair. The eyes are stern and intentionally darkened. All details are selected with utmost care.
Emigration
In the 23rd year, K. Somov went to the USA to the exhibition. The master did not like America, but he did not want to return to Russia either. In the 25th year he moved to Paris, where he continued to work. He loved and knew this city. Apparently, he did not experience painful nostalgia. He, like everyone else, was worried about the impending war, and in addition, foot disease progressed. But the creative life was enlivened by the discovery of the secrets of the old masters. The painter successfully worked on still lifes. He suddenly died in the year 39 on the eve of the war. Konstantin Somov, whose biography as a whole consisted of a creative search, was forgotten for a long time. It was rediscovered at the end of the 20th century.
Interesting Facts
- Two paintings by K. Somov broke all the records of value at auctions. In 2006, Russian Pastoral (1922) left for two million four hundred thousand euros , and a year later the Rainbow was bought for three million seven hundred thousand € .
- E. Martynova (“Lady in Blue”) begged K. Somov not to sell her portrait to anyone. She did not want anyone and everyone to penetrate her soul. E. Martynova even asked to burn him. Still, the portrait was sold at the State Tretyakov Gallery.