These paintings were done by a GREAT Russian woman artist named Zinaida Serebriakova (1884-1967). She belonged to the artistic family of Lanceray and married her first cousin Boris Serebriakov. She spent time in Italy and studied in Paris from 1905-1906. Unfortunately, after spending some happy years painting up a storm, she experienced some tragic times and poverty when her husband died during the October Revolution (1919) and she was left with 4 children. She moved to Paris in 1924 to work on a commission with only two of her four children and, after that, was not allowed to have contact with the rest of her family until 1960. A year before her death she was celebrated in Russia as one of the greats and became very popular there. I first discovered her on the childrenincinema website and then again on femme femme femme. She not only painted a charming pierrot (female), but also, quite a few joyful female nudes. There is something so relaxed and natural about her style. Something so beautiful about her technique. Amazing work.
2 comments:
that was fascinating. The 1909 self portrait looks so in the style of 1950's american illustration. It's uncanny, as if those american illustrators had had access to her work.
I agree, Liza. Some of her work looks like vintage American
magazine covers- even this
pierrot image. Maybe it was on
a French magazine cover, for all I know. She lived in Paris
from 1924 on...and also did commissions,
and perhaps
some Americans did happen to see her work.
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