Alexey Korzukhin, Russian master of genre painting was born in 1835 in Yekaterinburg to a family of an ore and mining factory worker. A talent for painting was discovered very early in his life: in the 1840s Alexey Korzukhin already made portraits of his relatives, and also painted icons. In 1858, he enrolled in the Imperial Academy of Arts and studied under the guidance of a history paining master Alexey Markov. In 1868, his painting Return from the Local Fair earned him the title of Academician of Painting.
Korzukhin was a co-founder of the St. Petersburg Cooperative Society of Artists, Russia’s very first independent association of artists. He was also a co-founder of the Partnership of Itinerant or Wanderers (Peredvizhniki) as well. In 1883, a year before his death, Korzukhin was granted full membership of the Academy of Arts.
For his genre paintings Korzukhin primarily picked topical subjects of public significance. By the tone of his paintings the artist condemns social evils of the time in the style of Itinerant Artists in the last third of the 19th century. With his inordinate talent of observation and in-depth knowledge of the every-day life of Russian common folk Korzukhin showed the hard life of peasants, craftsmen, and middle-stand people. He was a prolific artist and exhibited at the annual Academy exhibitions every year.
The painting A Girl made in 1877 shows the artist’s concern for the hard life of peasant children. The only character in the picture is a small peasant girl. Her stooped figure in shabby clothing, her sad and pale, but still sweet face with cast down eyes evoke in the viewer the feeling of sadness and empathy with the girl. The monochrome color scheme based on a combination of brown shades conveys the utter hopelessness of the peasant life.
However, Korzukhin gave the viewer a glimmer of hope for a better future: the pale rays of sunshine from the low window barely touch the girl’s head.
Korzukhin was a co-founder of the St. Petersburg Cooperative Society of Artists, Russia’s very first independent association of artists. He was also a co-founder of the Partnership of Itinerant or Wanderers (Peredvizhniki) as well. In 1883, a year before his death, Korzukhin was granted full membership of the Academy of Arts.
For his genre paintings Korzukhin primarily picked topical subjects of public significance. By the tone of his paintings the artist condemns social evils of the time in the style of Itinerant Artists in the last third of the 19th century. With his inordinate talent of observation and in-depth knowledge of the every-day life of Russian common folk Korzukhin showed the hard life of peasants, craftsmen, and middle-stand people. He was a prolific artist and exhibited at the annual Academy exhibitions every year.
The painting A Girl made in 1877 shows the artist’s concern for the hard life of peasant children. The only character in the picture is a small peasant girl. Her stooped figure in shabby clothing, her sad and pale, but still sweet face with cast down eyes evoke in the viewer the feeling of sadness and empathy with the girl. The monochrome color scheme based on a combination of brown shades conveys the utter hopelessness of the peasant life.
However, Korzukhin gave the viewer a glimmer of hope for a better future: the pale rays of sunshine from the low window barely touch the girl’s head.
