K. A. Somov studied at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts with I. Ye. Repin. Somov was one of the founders and an active participant of “World of Art” artistic association. He who also the founder of retrospectivism in the circle of this association. For him, like many of his friends from the association, especially close and tangible times were the 18th and early 19th centuries. They were inspired by palace and park ensembles, alleys, fountains, sculptures, marble and characters in intricate garments of the times. They sought their ideals in the beauty of the ages long gone.
Konstantin Somov was the only member of “World of Art” association who did not work, despite his love of the stage, as a set decorator. But all his work bears carries the features of theatricality.
He has acted as a portrait painter, landscape painter, illustrator and book designer, sculptor and applied artist.
Somov the landscape painter tirelessly and insatiably observed nature, was in love with it and suffered, according to the expression of Alexander Benoit, in “combat with nature.”
The landscape “Cloud” was painted in September 1896. The artist created it with mixed technique on paper on cardboard.
“Kosogor,” painted in oil on canvas, also refers to the early period of his work. The place of painting of these landscapes is unknown. We can only assume that they were created in Martyshkin near Oranienbaum, where the Somovs had a summerhouse, and where he often went to rest and work in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Somov, like many others, left Russia in the early years of Soviet regime. He lived in Paris, where he died in 1939.
K. A. Somov at the Museum of Russian Art (Prof. A. Abrahamyan’s collection):
“Cloud”, 1896
“In the Forest”
“Slope”
“Sleeping Young Woman” Variant of theeponymous picture of 1922 (I. Brodsky’s memorial museum)
“Versailles. Fireworks (Neptune) ”