Konstantin Korovin

Konstantin Korovin
Konstantin Korovin
	1891 portrait by Valentin Serov
Born	5 December [O.S. 23 November] 1861; Moscow, Russian Empire
Died	11 September 1939 (aged 77); Paris, France
Known for	Painting
Notable work	Hammerfest: Aurora Borealis 1894–1895; Portrait of Feodor Chaliapin 1915;
Movement	Impressionism

Konstantin (Constantin) Alekseyevich Korovin (Russian: Константи́н Алексе́евич Коро́вин; 5 December [O.S. 23 November] 1861 – 11 September 1939) was a Russian Impressionist painter.

Biography

In 1875 Korovin entered the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, where he studied with Vasily Perov and Alexei Savrasov. His brother Sergei was already a student at the school. During their student years, the Korovins became friends with fellow students Valentin Serov and Isaac Levitan; Konstantin maintained these friendships throughout his life.

In the beginning of the 20th century, Korovin focused his attention on the theater. Korovin designed sets for Konstantin Stanislavsky's dramatic productions, as well as Mariinsky's operas and ballets. He did the stage design for such Mariinsky productions as Faust (1899), The Little Humpbacked Horse (1901), and Sadko (1906).

One of the artist's favourite themes was Paris. He painted A Paris Cafe (1890s), Cafe de la Paix (1905), La Place de la Bastille (1906), Paris at Night, Le Boulevard Italien (1908), Night Carnival (1901), Paris in the Evening (1907), and others.

During World War I Korovin worked as a camouflage consultant at the headquarters of one of the Russian armies and was often seen on the front lines.

In 1923 Korovin moved to Paris. In the last years of his life he produced stage designs for many of the major theatres of Europe, America, Asia and Australia, the most famous of which is his scenery for the Turin Opera House's production of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's The Golden Cockerel.

Korovin died in Paris on 11 September 1939. He was buried in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois Russian Cemetery.

Konstantin's son Alexey Korovin (1897–1950) was a Russian-French painter. Because of an accident during his childhood he had both feet amputated. Alexey committed suicide in 1950.