Figure 1.-- We note a Serov portrait of a curly haired little boy in a white outfit, painted in 1901. It is a brilliantly painted image, capturing action and movement.. The Cyrilic caption read something like, "Mika Moposob / Morosov. Noptpet M. M. Moposoba, 1901". Mika Moposob / Moosov is the boy's name. We beliece that his father was Ivan Morozov (Ивáн Абрáмович Морóзов, 1871–1921), but we know nothing more about Mika. His father was an important Russian industrialist who made his fortune in textiles. He became a major collector of avant-garde French art until World War I made further purchases impossible. He also ammassed an imprtant collection of Russian art. His collection was nationalized by the Bolsviks after Morizov escaped to the West. Today his collection can be found in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow, and the Hermitage Museum, Leningrad.

This Russian artist is B. Cepob / Valentin Alexandrovich Serov. His father was the composer Alexander Serov. Valentin was born in 1865. His father died when he was still quite young (1871). Valetin lived with his widowed mother (née Bergman) in Munich (1872-73) While there Valetin took art lessons from the artist K. Kepping. They then moved tp Paris (1874). Valentin would visited Ilya Repin's studio. He became fond of Valentine. Valentine and his mother lived for a while at Abramtsevo which was the estate of the industrialist Savva Mamontov and a noted cultural center (1875). There Valentine was exposed to a rich cultural mileau--artists, musicians and actors. He was educated by notable Russian artists. At a young age Valetine demonstrated impresive drawing kills. He was able to catch the likeness of an individual with speed and confidence. Here he would often compete in friendly facetious drawing competitions at Abramtsevo with older, established artists. Serov when he was 15 years old entered theAcademy of Arts. He studied under Pavel Tchistykov. While he was at the Academy he made a lifelong friend--Vladimir Derviz. He achieved success very early. His first exhibited works "Girl with Peaches" (Vera Mamontova) (1887) and "Girl in the Sunlight" (Portrait of Maria Simonovich) (1888) were greatly admired. The paintings seem stylistically akin to the French Impressionists, but at the time Serov was unfamiliar with them. He did a wnderful portrait of Princess Olga, the daughter of Tsae Alexander III (1893). We note one portrait here of a curly haired little boy in a white outfit, painted in 1901. It is a brilliantly painted image. The Cyrilic caption read something like, "Mika Moposob. Noptpet M. M. Moposoba, 1901".

Parents

This Russian artist is B. Cepob / Valentin Alexandrovich Serov. His father was the composer Alexander Serov. His compsitions include 'Judith' and the 'Power of evil'. His mother was Valentina Bergman, a composer of German-Jewish and English background.

Childhood

Valentin was born in St. Petersburg (1865). His father died when he was still quite young (1871). Valetin lived with his widowed mother (née Bergman) in Munich (1872-73) While there Valetin took art lessons from the artist K. Kepping. They then moved tp Paris (1874). Valentin would visit Ilya Repin's studio. He became fond of Valentine and he spet time woth Depin in both Paris and St. Petersburg. Valentine and his mother lived for a while at Abramtsevo which was the estate of the industrialist Savva Mamontov and a noted cultural center (1875). There Valentine was exposed to a rich cultural mileau--artists, musicians. and actors.

Education

He was educated by notable Russian artists. At a young age Valetine demonstrated impresive drawing kills. He was able to catch the likeness of an individual with speed and confidence. Here he would often compete in friendly facetious drawing competitions at Abramtsevo with older, established artists. Serov when he was 15 years old entered the St. Pryersburg Academy of Arts( 1880-1885) He studied under Pavel Tchistykov/Chistyakov. . While he was at the Academy he made a lifelong friend--Vladimir Derviz.

Influences

Serov's first major influence Repin who was aealist author. The next important influence was Chistyakov at thE Academy where Servoc studied for 5 years. He studied the masterworks in St. Petersburg museums and in the Western European museums where he visited. Friendships with Mikhail Vrubel and subsequently Konstantin Korovin was another influence. His involvement in the Abramtsevo Colony was another creative influence. This was an artists’ colony located on an estate some 50 miles north of Moscow. Artists and craftsmen there were dedicated to the Slavophile movement, specifically reviving Russian folk art and traditional crafts.

Career

Serov was one of the most respected Russian portrait artists of his era. He achieved success very early. His first exhibited works "Girl with Peaches" (Vera Mamontova) (1887) and "Girl in the Sunlight" (Portrait of Maria Simonovich) (1888) were greatly admired. He painted Tsar Nicholas II and other members of the royal family.

Style

Serov has been describe as one of the mosrt masterly and professional of Russian artists. Many of his paintings eem stylistically akin to the French Impressionists, but at the time Serov was unfamiliar with them. He experimented with diffrnt styles. Some of his works were realistic. Many are more impresionistic. A few are almost abstract.

Body of Work

Serov is best known for his portraiture. He died at an early age, but was enorously prolific. He is second only to his master Repin in his output of portaits, but not in brilliansof his work. He painted the Russian Royal family which testifies to his popularity. His early portraits were formal with great detail to elaborate clothing of Russian society. He became a fashionanle artist, eben painying the Tsar (Both Alexander II and Nicholas II) and Taarina as well as other aristocrats and weakthy businessmen. One gets aood feeling of cgaracter and personality from the portraits. These early works reminds one of Seargent. Over time they became nore infoirmal and he experimented uth different media. He was shocked by the viloence used by the Tsarist Regime during the Revolution of 1905 which affected his work. His body of work is much broader than just poe=rtraits. He did some interesting genre and historical work, Our favorite is a breatth taking immage of Tsar Peter II (1715-30) and the Tsarena Elizabeth (1709-62) Hunting. He also did landscapes, focusing on peasant scenes around Moscow. HBC's primary interest is the portraits he painted and the depictions of children's clothing. He painted a few images of boys, but unlike his paintings of women and girls, gave very little attention to their clothing.

Michael "Mischa" Alexandrovich (1878-1918 )

Michael was made Grand Duke Thronfolger. He is the little boy in the sailor suit here (figure 1). Notice how his mother tenderly has her hand on his shoulder. Michael caused a scandal at the imperial court when he took Natalia Sergeyevna Wulfert, a married woman, as a lover. Nicholas sent Michael to Orel to be out of sight. Michael was not to be so easily delt with. He travelled frequently back to St. Petersburg to see his mistress. The couple's only child, George, was born (1910). Michael brought Natalia back to St. Petersburg, but she was shunned by polite society. Michael without approval shocked Nicholas by marrying Natalia. He hoped to be removed from the line of succession. Probab;y the Tsareivitch hemophilia prevented Nicholas from doing this.

Princess Olga Alexandrovna (1893)

Princess Olga Alexandrovna's parents were Tsar Alexander III and Tsarina Dagmar. She was born (1882) shortly after her grandfather was assainated and her father became Tsar. She was the royal famuly's youngest child. Her older brother was the future Tsar Nicholas II. Princess Olga was made a Grand Duchess. Tsar Alexander was a bear of a man, but he could be tender toward his children--especially the girls. One family portrait shows him holding Princess Olga very tenderly. Serov painted her at age 11 (1893). She married Prince Peter of Oldenburg when she was 19 years old. They did not, however, get along and there were no children. She met and fell in love with a military officer, captain Kulikovsky (1903). They were unble to actually marry because of the conservative Tsarist regime. Finally with the War and softenting inhibitions the two married (1916). There were two sons: Tikhon (1917–93) and Guri Nikolaevich (1919–84). Olga during the War worked as an army nurse. Xenia and Olga were able to escape Russia along with their mother during the Revolution. She lived in Denmark with her mother who was a Danish Princess (1919-48). She then moved to Canada where she lived on her farm (1948-60?).

Sasha and Yura Serov (1899)

In addition to Nika Morosov, Serov's best known paintiung of boys was the painting of his sons Sasha and Yura. He painted them at the beach (1899). Like Mika, we can'y make out much about their vlothing, only a white blouse, black knickers, and black long stockings. Both boys have wild curly hair. We know nothing about the boys except that Serov used them as models for several drawings and paintings, all of which provide impressive insights into boyhood. Unlike the oainting of Princess Olga, Serov had no interest in the boys' clothing. This simple work is one of Serov's most acclaimed works, both because of the composition (especilly the use of light) and the depiction of boyhood. The boys are at a beach, but onlyblooking at the sea, not playing on the beach. An art historian writes, ""The fascinating pucture of two little boys leabing on a reail, one gazing out to sea with the rapt look of a born adventuer the other turning with a widrful expression, as though he had heard an unwelcome summons to come indoors ...." -Newmarch, pp. 177-78.]

Mika Morozov (1901)

We note a Serov portrait of a curly haired little boy wearing a white blouse, painted (1901) (figure 1). He appears to have a ruffled collar blose, but we can mot make out much more about his clothing. It is a brilliantly painted image, capturing action and movement. The Cyrilic caption read something like, "Mika Moposob / Morozov. Noptpet M. M. Moposoba, 1901". Mika Moposob / Morozsov is the boy's name. We beliece that his father was Ivan Morozov (Ивáн Абрáмович Морóзов, 1871–1921), but we know nothing more about Mika. His father was an important Russian industrialist who made his fortune in textiles. Serov painted portraits of Ivan and his wilder brother, Mikhail, also an avid art collector. He became a major collector of avant-garde French art until World War I made further purchases impossible. He also ammassed an imprtant collection of Russian art. His collection was nationalized by the Bolsviks after Morizov escaped to the West. Today his collection can be found in the Pushkin Museum, Moscow, and the Hermitage Museum, Leningrad.

Count/Prince Felix Felixovich Yusupov (1903)

Count/Prince Felix Felixovich Yusupov (Князь Фе́ликс Фе́ликсович Юсу́пов) (1887–1967) was a Russian aristocrat, prince and count from the Yusupov family--the riches family in Tsarist Russia. Serov painted him at age 16 years (1903). He captued his fippant, flaboyant peronality, painting him with his French buldog Puch. Prince Felix became the richest person in Russia at an early age when his older brother was killed in a duel (1908). The family wealth included four palaces in Saint Petersburg, three palaces in Moscow, 37 estates (Kursk, Voronezh and Poltava), coal and iron-ore mines, plants and factories, flour mills and oil fields on the Caspian Sea.The family traveled widely with foreign homes, incluuing. He studies fine arts at Oxford (1909-13). In London he had a Russian ciook, a French driver, an English valet, and a housekeeper. He spent most of his time, partying, playing polo, and smoking hasisg. The rest of his life was devoted primaily to hedomism and pleasure. He married Princess Irna, the Tsar's only niece, just before the War (1914). He was in Germany when the war broke out, but after house arrest manahed to make it back to Russia. His wife's close friend, Grabdduchess Olga Nikolaevna (Tsar Nicholas's daughter), writes disparigly of him, especially because he evaded military service. He reportely studied at the Page Corops military academy which seems srrange for a man of his age (February 1916). He reportedly tried to join a regiment (August 1916). He is best known for his involvement in the assassination of Rasputin, the 'Mad Monk' healer (December 1916). The Tsarina insisted on an investication and Prince Felix was confined to house arrest. After the February Revolution (1917) Prince Felx and Irna made it to the West with art and jewels to finance a very comfortable exile.

Tsar Peter the Great and the Tsarevna Elizabeth

Our favoriate Serov painting is one of his historical works. It dpicts Tsar Peter II (1715-30) and the Tsarevna Elizabeth (1709-62) hunting, painted (1900). Few paintings have captured movement so brilliantly.

Sources

Newmarch, Rosa. The Russian Arts (E.P. Dutton: 1917), 293p.

Created: 12:26 AM 9/12/2006
Last updated: 1:18 AM 8/24/2017