KONSTANTIN KOROVIN (1861–1939). STILL LIFE AGAINST A LANDSCAPE RUSSIA / FRANCE, 1930s
A charming, sunlit composition executed in the 1930s in the spirit of the late Impressionism of the great Russian painter Konstantin Korovin transports the viewer into an atmosphere of southern light and serenity. On a white tablecloth are depicted a bouquet of roses, apples, and a dish of fruit, while behind them the shimmering sea dissolves into transparent air. As in his celebrated Gurzuf Bouquets by the Sea, still life and landscape merge into a single breath, becoming a hymn to midday, warmth, and the joy of life.Free brushwork, pearly reflections, and the trembling play of light create an atmosphere in which air itself becomes the main protagonist. The artist unites objects and space in a musical chord of light, transforming painting into the poetry of the moment. Everything here is imbued with the artist’s characteristic sensibility, where each brushstroke is filled with the joy of perceiving the world.Signature: In the lower left corner in Latin letters: Const. Korovine.According to historical sources and modern scholarly research, no comparable still lifes by Konstantin Korovin are known from the later period of his life. Technical examination of this work indicates that it was created in the 1930s, a time when the artist was already in advanced age and rarely returned to the motifs of his famous Gurzuf cycle of 1910–1917. It was during those years that Korovin created his celebrated Bouquets by the Sea and Roses with a View of the Black Sea, which became symbols of the poetry of light, peace, and the beauty of the Russian South.The results of the research suggest that the present work originated within the master’s circle, during a period when his son, the painter Alexei Korovin (1897–1950), under the direct guidance of his father, reproduced the beloved motifs of the Crimean cycle. These compositions enjoyed enduring popularity among collectors and admirers of the artist’s work—émigrés from Russia living in Paris. For them, such images were not only a remembrance of their homeland but also a symbol of hope for the spiritual rebirth of Russia, its return to light, harmony, and inner freedom, embodied in the art of Konstantin Korovin. The compositional solutions, character of brushwork, and painterly texture confirm the work’s connection to the artistic tradition and aesthetic of the Korovin school.Dimensions: 42 × 71 cmFramed dimensions: 66 × 86 × 11 cmMedium: Oil on canvasCondition: Good. Minor surface dust; no restorations or losses. The canvas is dense and well-stretched.Expertise: Mākslas un antikvāro priekšmetu eksperti, Riga, 10 June 2025 (Dz. Temerova, L. Liepa). Attributed to Konstantin Korovin (1861–1939)Provenance: Private European collection
Begins 29.11.2025
