Konstantin Somov was born in 1869 in an artistic family. His father Andrey Ivanovich served as the senior curator of the Hermitage; he was an expert on art and was engaged in painting and engraving. Somov’s mother Nadezhda Konstantinovna was a talented musician and from early childhood, she introduced her son to musical culture. A large collection of paintings by old Western and Russian masters was kept in the Somovs’ house. Many artists who always discussed exhibitions, theatre premieres, and concerts were frequent guests of the family. Therefore, from a young age, Konstantin Somov was very well informed in matters of history, literature and fine arts.
In 1888, he entered the Imperial Academy of Arts, where famous painter Ilya Repin became his main teacher. Directed by Repin, Somov worked hard and in a short time acquired impressive proficiency in watercolour.
Soon, the young artist began to search for an original creative path. He sought to get away from the direct image of nature. In his works, he unveiled his own fictional world, subtle and poetic.
In early 1900s, Somov painted a number of female images. Contemporaries appreciated unusual paintings, therefore, Somov became known as a talented and largely unique portrait painter. In his works, the artist not only masterfully conveyed external features of the models, revealing their subtle and unusual beauty, but also depicted mental state of young ladies. In particular, Somov’s painting Lady in Blue opened a theme of the so-called beautiful suffering in Russian painting.
The Primorye Picture Gallery hosts a portrait of Henrietta Girshman created by Somov in 1911.
Henrietta Girshman was the wife of a famous entrepreneur Vladimir Girshman. She was an outstanding woman. She held a literary salon and was a member of the Society of Free Aesthetics. The Girshmans supported many artists; famous representatives of the Fin de siècle were frequent guests of their mansion at the Red Gate. Henrietta Girshman was a smart and well educated woman; in particular, she studied painting in the workshop of Joseph Braz.
In 1888, he entered the Imperial Academy of Arts, where famous painter Ilya Repin became his main teacher. Directed by Repin, Somov worked hard and in a short time acquired impressive proficiency in watercolour.
Soon, the young artist began to search for an original creative path. He sought to get away from the direct image of nature. In his works, he unveiled his own fictional world, subtle and poetic.
In early 1900s, Somov painted a number of female images. Contemporaries appreciated unusual paintings, therefore, Somov became known as a talented and largely unique portrait painter. In his works, the artist not only masterfully conveyed external features of the models, revealing their subtle and unusual beauty, but also depicted mental state of young ladies. In particular, Somov’s painting Lady in Blue opened a theme of the so-called beautiful suffering in Russian painting.
The Primorye Picture Gallery hosts a portrait of Henrietta Girshman created by Somov in 1911.
Henrietta Girshman was the wife of a famous entrepreneur Vladimir Girshman. She was an outstanding woman. She held a literary salon and was a member of the Society of Free Aesthetics. The Girshmans supported many artists; famous representatives of the Fin de siècle were frequent guests of their mansion at the Red Gate. Henrietta Girshman was a smart and well educated woman; in particular, she studied painting in the workshop of Joseph Braz.
