Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin (1861–1939) is a classic of Russian painting art, the talented master of plein - air, academician of the Academy of Arts, theatrical designer, architect, teacher, writer.
«My main, the only continuously pursued goal in my art of painting has always been the beauty, the aesthetic impact on the viewer, the fascination of colors and shapes. Never teachings or trends. To anybody.»
«Who knew Kostya Korovin, wrote in his memoirs Mikhail Nesterov – this bizarre, whimsical, beautiful young man? He was everybody’s darling. He was spoiled by Professor-artists, teachers of the Sciences which he loved to do, taking the exams passing, somewhere on the landing, and there is always someone behind him asked: "Put him mark three, he's so talented!"…».
All it had, finally, blossomed and flourished. Kostya was the type of artist, irresistibly acting on the imagination, he made "to fall in love with him" left and right, never leaving the room for long grievances, no matter how suddenly what he had done. All "quality" was covered with his marvelous talent as a painter...".
In 1884 Konstantin Korovin completes his studies at the Moscow school of painting, sculpture and architecture and at the final exam receives a score of "unclassed" artist, which meant the recognition of his skills and artistic literacy, but completely rejected its loose brushwork and a special, distinctive, the desire to transfer tints of colors States of joy, happiness, excitement, and admiring the beauty of life.
Almost unanimous protest of teachers has caused the work "Portrait of a chorus girl", performed by K. Korovin in 1883 It was a portrait-sketch: young woman in hat on the background of the summer garden, her image was created by picturesque palette, a wide smear of bright, clean colors and play of color patches that invite the viewer to see a wonderful moment in the morning, the sun's rays transparent and the thrill of fresh air. The tenderness and the charm of this image were composed of paint, the surface of the canvas with amazing decorative effect. It was another beautiful aesthetics, a different understanding of beauty canons of the academic school. "Who needs this ugly lady, standing among the birch trunks? – puzzled asked almost everything. But the strongest impression on Kostya Korovin has made the words of Ilya Repin: "This painting is for painting only. This is lawful for a Spaniard, but for the Russian – what is it?". "For me,' said Korovin, – the contemplation of beauty through painting the essence of the painting!". "A misunderstanding on the K. Korovin, wrote Alexandre Benois, the most deplorable properties. It just proves how far the Russian public in General from any understanding of painting. In fact, amazingly decorative, rather, clean and picturesque (for the painter and must be the decorator: beautifier of scenes – all it in this appointment) talent Korovin is getting lost". However, already in 1900 at the world exhibition in Paris of paintings and picture panels by Konstantin Korovin received unanimous recognition in Europe and were awarded two silver and two gold medals, in addition the artist was awarded the officer's cross of the Legion of Honor, but "Portrait of a chorus girl" becomes a symbol of the beginning of the development of a new direction in Russian painting – impressionism.
Joyful, delightfully colorful, textured works of Konstantin Korovin unwillingly attracted the viewer's eye: they were amazing, not only the painting and its harmony of color consonances, but also the theme. Almost never the artist did not touch on the much-loved contemporaries social issues, and just worked on the conceptualization of human life as such. "I am very fine artist, – said K. Korovin, – I try to be very accurate, very faithful and very solid must see." The accuracy he understood as the ability to see and convey beautifully, poetically enchanting, their perceptions of a passing day, from nature, from sensual moments. In addition to being a brilliant master of the picturesque etudes, he claimed for him the dignity of separate works, and the infinite beauty of its incompleteness and free style of writing elevated to a new category of artistic expression, as can be seen, for example, in such works as "portrait of the actress Tatiana Spiridonovna Lubatovich", "Pier in Gurzuf", "Winter", "Paris. Siene River." "The main thing for me, – wrote K. Korovin, beauty and joy of life. Transfer that joy is the essence of the picture, the pieces of my canvas, I my. ...I have no directions and no fashion – no impressionism, no cubism, no ISM. This is me, this is my singing for life, for joy is paganism. That's what I love... art, friendship, sun, river, flowers, laughter, grass, nature, road, color, paint, shape, and I made a feast of the eyes and poetry – paintings of Nocturne, almost a romance, almost music."
Konstantin Korovin lived a long life and left an enormous legacy of paintings, sketches, sketches, letters, stories, essays, memoirs, notes. The talent and strength of the talent of Konstantin Korovin can only be compared with the masters of the Renaissance. He tried his hand in architecture and the applied arts, was a painter, writer and academician of the Academy of Arts. However the title of "unclassed" the artist stayed with him forever. "And yet, – I'll write much later, Igor Grabar, – if you had to name the artist, who starts the history of contemporary art in Russia, ranging here it would be impossible. That is, undoubtedly, Konstantin Korovin".
