Whose daughter is in the picture, the girl with peaches. Essay: description of painting B

Plot

One summer day, Valentin Serov, who was visiting the Mamontovs in Abramtsevo, saw 11-year-old Vera, excited about playing Cossack robbers, run into the dining room, take a peach and sit down at the table. Amazed, the artist began to persuade the girl to pose for him. Vera hardly suspected that Serov would write it for more than a month and she would have to sit motionless for several hours every day while summer flew by outside the window.

Serov was able to convey Vera’s mischievous character: it can be read in the sly look, and in the fold of her lips, which seem ready to laugh, and in her disheveled hair, and in her blush. In the girl’s pose, in her clothes, there is no tension of the poser. It seems that this captured moment is like a ray or a butterfly - once, and it flies away.

Vera Mamontova, photo from 1888 (the year after the creation of “Girl with Peaches”)

The trees are green outside the window. This is Gogol Alley in Abramtsevo Park, where Nikolai Vasilyevich loved to walk. On the table are peaches grown in the Abramtsevo greenhouse. Savva Mamontov bought trees from the Artemovo and Zhilkino estates in 1871.

The figurine of a wooden soldier in the corner was purchased from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The grenadier, originally unpainted, was painted by Serov. By the way, the figurine still occupies the same place in the Abramtsevo Museum. Just like the plate pictured on the wall. Savva Mamontov loved ceramics, and even opened a pottery workshop at the estate.

“Girl with Peaches” was conceived spontaneously

Having completed the portrait, Serov gave it to the girl’s mother, Elizaveta Mamontova. The painting took its place in the same room where it was painted. Eyewitnesses said that thanks to the canvas, the spacious, bright room seemed to be illuminated with even brighter light. The artist Mikhail Nesterov wrote that if the canvas had been presented in Paris, Serov would have become famous that same day. But in Russia the public was not yet ready for impressionism, and therefore it was better to leave the work in Abramtsev’s dining room and not show it publicly - otherwise they would call it crazy.

Context

“I painted for more than a month and tortured her, poor thing, to death,” Serov recalled, “I really wanted to preserve the freshness of the painting while being completely complete - just like the old masters.” Shortly before starting work on “Girl with Peaches,” the painter returned from a trip to Italy. He was amazed by the works of the Renaissance masters, impressed by the country itself, its strength, and atmosphere. Arriving in Russia, the 22-year-old artist was determined to paint only joyful things. And the very first picture became the personification of this desire.

Vera Mamontova was called the “Abramtsevo goddess.” It was written not only by Serov, but also by Vasnetsov. It is also believed that Vrubel gave Tamara her features in the illustrations for “The Demon,” “The Snow Maiden” and “The Egyptian Woman.” At the age of 27, she married the Moscow provincial leader of the nobility Alexander Samarin, and they had three children. At 32, Vera Savvishna fell ill with pneumonia and died. In the 1920s, Samarin was exiled to a camp, and his daughter Lisa went with him. In 1932 he died in the Gulag.

The fate of the artist

Serov grew up in a house where creative chaos reigned. Mother Valentina Semyonovna was a convinced nihilist. Father Alexander Nikolaevich was a popular composer at that time. By the way, the age difference between the spouses was 26 years: 43-year-old Alexander Nikolaevich married his 17-year-old student.

Self-portrait of Serov. 1885

Nihilists and revolutionaries came to my mother, writers, sculptors, musicians, and artists came to my father. After the death of his father, when the boy was seven years old, his mother gave him to Repin as a student. The boy spent so much time with the teacher that he was practically considered a member of the family.

Valentin Serov grew up in the family of a nihilist and composer

Valentin also knew the Mamontovs from early childhood. He spent a lot of time at their house. As the older Mamontov children recalled, all their games and pranks were certainly connected with Anton - that’s what they called him because Serov did not like the name Valentin. Even little Vera made fun of him. Savva Mamontov subsequently found the first customers for the young artist. These were mainly bourgeois and aristocrats. Over time, Serov acquired a reputation as a portrait painter with a “sharp” brush: he did not portray his respectable models in the most favorable light, which, although they did not particularly like it, was accepted because it was a fashionable and almost obligatory measure of provocation.

And although the artist was ordered and paid for portraits, of all his works he most valued the frankly impressionistic “Girl Illuminated by the Sun.” Shortly before his death - at the end of 1911 - looking at this canvas in the Tretyakov Gallery, he said: “I painted this thing, and then all my life, no matter how I tried, nothing came of it, I was completely exhausted.”

Painting by Val.A. Serova. Created in 1887, located in the Tretyakov Gallery. Dimensions 91 × 85 cm. The portrait depicts Vera Mamontova, the twelve-year-old daughter of a merchant* and famous philanthropist S.I. Mamontova. Serov painted a picture on Mamontov’s estate... ... Linguistic and regional dictionary

I Serov Alexander Nikolaevich, Russian composer, music critic. Born into the family of an official. In 1835-1840 he studied at the School of Law, where he became close with V.V. Stasov. In 1840 1868… … Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- (1865 1911), Russian painter. He studied as a child with I. E. Repin (in Paris and Moscow) and at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts (1880-85) with P. P. Chistyakov. He taught at MUZHVZ (1897 1909); Among the students were P.V. Kuznetsov, N.N. Sapunov, M.S. Saryan, K.S.... ... Art encyclopedia

- (Mamontov Circle), an informal association of Russian creative intelligentsia (artists, musicians, theatrical figures, scientists). Operated in 1870-90s. in Abramtsevo - the estate of the entrepreneur and philanthropist S.I. Mamontov. V. A. Serov.... ... Art encyclopedia

- (1865 1911), painter and graphic artist. Son of A. N. Serov. Member of the Mobile Association art exhibitions, "World of Art". They are distinguished by their vital freshness and richness of plein air coloring. early works(“Girl with Peaches”, 1887; “Girl... encyclopedic Dictionary

Valentin Serov Self-portrait Date of birth ... Wikipedia

Serov, Valentin Alexandrovich- V.A. Serov. Girl with peaches. 1887. Tretyakov Gallery. SEROV Valentin Alexandrovich (1865 1911), painter and graphic artist. Son of A.N. Serova. Wanderer. Member of the World of Art. Vital freshness, richness of plein air color (see Plein air)… … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Serov Val. Al-dr.- SEROV Val. Al et al. (1865 1911) painter, graphic artist. Son of composer A. N. Serov. He studied as a child with I. E. Repin, in St. Petersburg. AH by P. P. Chistyakov (1880 85). Traveled a lot in the West. Europe. S.'s work successfully combines democracy. Start… … Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary

1. SEROV Alexander Nikolaevich (1820 71), composer and music critic. Op. Judith (1862), Rogneda (1865), Enemy Power (1871; completed by the wife of V. S. Serova and N. F. Solovyov). One of the founders of Russian music criticism. Bright... ...Russian history

Valentin Serov Self-portrait Date of birth: 1865 Date of death: 1911 Nationality: Russian ... Wikipedia

Books

• , T. V. Iovleva. The notebook is part of the "Eco Notebook" series - an eco-project of the publishing house "Folio". The notebook uses white paper. The sheets are not lined, the edition is supplemented with a satin ribbon...
• Valentin Serov. Girl with peaches. Notebook, T. V. Iovleva. The notebook is part of the "Eco Notebook" series - an eco-project of the publishing house "Folio". The notebook uses eco-friendly kraft paper - a product of recycled raw materials. The sheets are not...

Painting: 1887
Canvas, oil.
Size: 91 × 85 cm

Description of the painting “Girl with Peaches” by V. Serov

Artist: Valentin Aleksandrovich Serov
Title of the painting: “Girl with Peaches”
Painting: 1887
Canvas, oil.
Size: 91 × 85 cm

V. Serov grew up in a creative environment where the talent of his composer-father A. Serov flourished. By the way, the parent himself loved to stand at the easel, and the boy had the opportunity to take painting lessons from I. Repin himself. The atmosphere of creation and the constant presence of the “stars” of art of that time in the house were familiar to the future artist, so he did not even dream of fame, because he was used to it.

The father had the opportunity and means to send his son to master the intricacies of painting in Paris, and later in Abramtsevo. There, in the estate of the philanthropist and industrialist Savva Mamontov, delicious peaches grew, his daughter Vera played, and such artists as Polenov, Repin, Vasnetsov and Ostroukhov visited.

The painting “Girl with Peaches” appeared from Serov’s brush, completely by accident, like everything unique. Verochka Mamontova was the favorite not only of her relatives, but also of numerous representatives of bohemia, taken under the wing of her father. He was a lively, restless and sociable child, whose spontaneity was difficult to resist. But even then Serov was treated ambiguously. Some said that his work was not creativity at all, but PR for Mamontov, who knew his father, some argued that his canvases were too traditional and realistic, but later critics and art historians started talking about an innovative approach that rejected the routine laws of painting of that time.

No matter what anyone thinks, Serov painted the portrait of Vera Mamontova at the age of 22. He was only 10 years older than the heroine of his picture, and all the people who visited Savva were simply surprised how he managed to keep the girl in place. The work was named simply and succinctly - “V.M.” and became a discovery at the 1887 exhibition, which amazed absolutely everyone. The public today still cannot figure out who the artist portrayed - a captivating woman or a precociously matured girl, because this portrait was already considered impressionistic - there is too much light and unconscious half-childish freshness in it. It is the latter factor that has kept viewers captivated for more than a hundred years; it is the garden filled with clean air and Vera’s restlessness that attracts fans from all over the world.

The most difficult thing in Serov’s work was keeping Vera in one place. He recalled that he worked on the painting for a very long time, trying to write down the details, but it seems to the viewer that it was not painted in a few seconds. Pink blouse a dark-skinned girl with a black bow, a white tablecloth and peaches accidentally thrown on the table create a feeling of the immediacy of what is happening. You probably immediately thought of Repin's "Dragonfly", and this is no coincidence - the artist took only the best from the master. Situation old manor- clocks, chairs, windows - seem not just part of the interior, but part of the summer day outside the window. The delicate color of Verochka's pink blouse is distinguished by lightness and freedom - it seems to be made of the smallest cobwebs. The tablecloth on the table is white only at first glance, because if you look more closely, you will see shimmers of blue, gold, and even dark shades. The light of the sun outside the window not only invigorates, but also fills the room with joy, falls from the windows and fills the entire volume of the room. Its glare glides across the girl’s face, which is why the shimmer of mother-of-pearl appears on the blouse and on the tablecloth.

The entire canvas is a source of everyday life and an example of the education of noble children of those times. The tablecloth was wrapped and neatly placed on top so that the edges did not hang over the chair. This was usually done if there was a child in the family - it was difficult for him to grab the tablecloth with his hands and pull it towards himself. This lapel was filled with peaches, a knife and several maple leaves. Most likely, Vera got hold of these things: you can cut fruit with a knife, and maple leaves are quite capable of replacing plates. There are a lot of peaches - there are always a lot of people in the house, but everyone needs to be treated. The latter is a rule of good manners that was instilled in girls from intelligent families with their mother’s milk.

Vera’s face cannot be called a traditional Russian type. It intertwines unusual oriental, or even gypsy features with the typical manner of looking forward, characteristic of Russians. The latter is not surprising - the girl’s mother had Italian roots, and her father, until recently, was distinguished by truly Moscow business acumen. However, Elizaveta Mamontova (Vera’s mother) was not distinguished by beauty, but her daughter in the picture is sheer charm and spontaneity. Looking at her tousled dark hair and eyes directed to the side, we can say that this girl is an informal leader among the children. It seems that she only dropped into the dining room for a moment to give Serov the opportunity to make a few sketches of the portrait and, grabbing peaches, rush off into the yard. This living child with glowing black eyes, tanned in the Abramtsevo sun, seems to affirm life itself.

The impressionistic motifs of the painting can be traced not only in the airy purity of space and the fleetingness of the moment, but also in the play of sunlight, which is strangely combined with a thoughtfully completed composition. Verochka’s figure is successfully integrated into the dining room setting; she seems quite natural, and light and air fill not only the dining room, but also the world outside the window.

The picture does not leave anyone indifferent - its color is fresh, its image is harmonious, and artistic images goes wonderfully with life truth. Among the techniques of impressionism in painting, Serov used free, vibrating strokes - this is how the play of chiaroscuro was conveyed.

“The Girl with Peaches” got married, gave birth to three children, her marriage seemed successful, and her future life seemed happy, but... A year before her mother’s death, Vera fell ill with pneumonia and died. She was only 32. The greenhouses where Mamontov’s gardeners grew delicious fruits were dismantled in 1926, and the estate itself went under the hammer. On the ruins of a building that saw the greatest creative people of their era, began to build a bright communist future. The portrait of Vera Mamontova, written by V. Serov, however, continues to sing the hymn of youth and purity to this day.

It seems that everyone knows the painting by the classic of world painting Valentin Serov “Girl with Peaches”, even people who are not interested in art. The artist painted his most famous masterpiece when he was only 22 years old. Valentin Serov has said more than once that “Girl with Peaches” is his best painting. “All I was striving for was freshness, that special freshness that you always feel in nature and don’t see in paintings.” We have compiled a selection of facts about the “Girl with Peaches”.

10 interesting facts about "Girl with Peaches"

1. In the painting, Valentin Serov portrayed 11-year-old Vera Mamontova, the daughter of Russian entrepreneur and philanthropist Savva Mamontov. The artist often visited their family’s estate in Abramtsevo. He first met the Mamontovs when he was still a child. Tosha, as Serov was called in childhood, was brought to Abramtsevo by his mother (composer Valentina Semyonovna Serova) at the age of 10. Valentin knew Vera Mamontova from infancy.

The estate in Abramtsevo was the center of cultural life - Turgenev, Vrubel, Repin often visited here. Serov was a student of Ilya Repin. In the summer they came to work in Abramtsevo more than once. A teacher and a student once staged a competition to see who could better draw Savva Mamontov, who agreed to pose for them. The patron noted that Serov’s work was “Better, more vital, sharper.” A somewhat discouraged Repin replied that it was not in vain that he was working with him and advised Valentin to sign.

2 . Serov painted Vera in the spacious dining room, one of the enfilade rooms of the estate. The artist often worked here. Vera was a terrible fidget. In August 1877, during Serov’s next visit to Abramtsevo, a girl ran from the street and, grabbing a peach, sat down at the table. This scene impressed Valentin so much that he asked the girl to pose for him. Vera patiently posed for the artist almost every day for more than a month. Afterwards, Serov said: “I painted for more than a month and tortured her, poor thing, to death, I really wanted to preserve the freshness of the painting while being completely complete, just like the old masters.” The artist worked with gusto and was ruthless towards himself; if he didn’t like how it turned out, he cleaned off the paint and started again.

Valentin Serov, “Girl with Peaches”, 1887

3. The painting “Girl with Peaches” is filled with light and air. The fact that Vera is dressed in a simple blouse with a bow, and not dressed up specifically for the picture, emphasizes the spontaneity of the moment. The pink blouse is almost the brightest spot in the picture; it seems that the light comes not only from the window, but also from the girl herself.

4. The peaches depicted by the artist were grown in Mamontov’s greenhouse. The family bought trees for her in 1871.

5. Behind Vera's right shoulder there is a toy wooden soldier on the pedestal. The figurine was painted by Serov. By the way, in the estate-museum in Abramtsevo the toy still stands in the same place.

6. Valentin Serov gave the painting to Vera’s mother, Elizaveta Mamontova, for her birthday. She really liked Verochka’s portrait, and this was the greatest reward for the painter. For a long time the painting hung in the same room where it was created.

7 . The work “Girl with Peaches” participated in the competition of the Moscow Society of Art Lovers. In total, there were 32 works by young artists in the competition. For the portrait of Vera Mamontova, Serov received the first prize in the amount of 200 rubles.

8 . The famous philanthropist and collector Pavel Tretyakov saw “Girl with Peaches” in the Mamontovs’ house and wanted to buy the painting. But the owners were not going to part with it. Then, for his gallery, Tretyakov bought Serov’s “Girl Illuminated by the Sun” (portrait of Masha Simanovich) for 300 rubles.

9. Not only Serov wrote to Vera Mamontov. Viktor Vasnetsov captured her in his paintings in the films “Girl with a Maple Branch” and “Hawthorn”.

Victor Vasnetsov “Girl with a maple branch”, 1896

10 . Unfortunately, further fate Vera Mamontova is sad. She married the leader of the Moscow nobility, Minister of Church Affairs Alexander Samarin. The marriage was happy. Vera gave birth to three children. But unexpectedly, at 32, her life was cut short. She contracted pneumonia and died in 1907. She was buried in Abramtsevo near the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands. Vera's husband never married again, he built a temple in her honor Life-Giving Trinity in Averkievo.

11 . IN Tretyakov Gallery The painting “Girl with Peaches” (oil on canvas 91x85) arrived in 1929, it was bought from A. S. Mamontova. A copy of Valentin Serov’s work hangs in the estate museum in Abramtsevo.

REFERENCE

Valentin Serov is a Russian painter and graphic artist. Born on January 19, 1865 in St. Petersburg in the family of composers Alexander and Valentina Serov. In 1874 he began taking painting lessons from Ilya Repin in Paris. In 1880 he entered the Academy of Arts and went to continue his studies in Austria and Italy. In 1894 he became a member of the Association of Itinerants.

Valentin Serov, “Self-portrait”, 1880s

Serov is known not only as an excellent painter and portraitist, but also as a theater artist. He created the scenery and costumes for Sergei Diaghilev’s Russian Seasons (in particular, he made sketches of the curtain for the ballet Scheherazade), and created the famous poster with the ballerina Anna Pavlova. In 1908, Serov was elected a full member of the Vienna Secession.

Drawing by Valentin Serov for the poster with Anna Pavlova in the ballet La Sylphide

The artist was married to Olga Trubnikova. They had six children - two daughters and four sons. Valentin Serov died in 1911 from a heart attack at the age of 46.

The material uses data from the book “Valentin Serov” by Arkady Kudry from the “Life of Remarkable People” series.