Konstantin Korovin

Konstantin Korovin was the leading Russian Impressionist. He painted fast and freely, with loose, juicy brushwork and bright colour, and he was just as happy with a rainy street, a table set for tea or a northern harbour.

Born in Moscow, he studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture under Alexei Savrasov and Vasily Polenov. He travelled to the far north, painting the Norwegian coast, and became a major stage designer, first for Mamontov’s private opera and later for the Mariinsky Theatre. In 1923 he moved to Paris, where he painted Parisian boulevards at night and remembered Russian winters. His work is well represented in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.

A Florence Street in the Rain and At a Tea Table show his gift: a quick, confident sketch of a moment, full of light.