Early Life and Education
Konstantin Alexeievitch Korovin, a prominent Russian Impressionist painter, was born on December 5, 1861, in Moscow to a merchant family officially registered as "peasants of Vladimir Gubernia." His father, Aleksey Mikhailovich Korovin, had a university degree and was more inclined towards arts and music than the family business. Konstantin's older brother Sergei Korovin was a notable realist painter.
Konstantin entered the
Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture in 1875, where he studied under 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.
Artistic Career
In 1881–1882, Korovin spent a year at the
Imperial Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg, but returned disappointed to the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. He studied under his new teacher Vasily Polenov until 1886.
Korovin's subsequent works were strongly influenced by his travels to the north. In 1888, he was captivated by the stern northern landscapes seen in
The Coast of Norway and
The Northern Sea. His second trip to the north, with Valentin Serov in 1894, coincided with the construction of the Northern Railway. Korovin painted a large number of landscapes:
Norwegian Port,
St. Triphon's Brook in Pechenga,
Hammerfest: Aurora Borealis, and
The Coast at Murmansk.
Later Life and Legacy
In the beginning of the 20th century, Korovin focused his attention on the theater. He moved from Mamontov's opera to the
Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Departing from traditional stage decor, which only indicated the place of action, Korovin produced a mood decor conveying the general emotions of the performance.
Korovin became an Academician of Painting in 1905 and a professor at the
Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture from 1909–1913. He passed away on September 11, 1939.