Signed and inscribed lower left “Konstant Korovine. Paris.”
Sizes:
Artwork: 60 × 79 cm | 23.6 × 31.1 in
This vibrant and atmospheric oil on canvas is a masterful example of Konstantin Korovin’s celebrated series of Parisian cityscapes. The composition captures the bustling energy of the Place de l’Opéra at dusk, utilizing the “evening effect” (effet du soir) to dramatic results. The majestic Palais Garnier stands illuminated in the background, its architectural grandeur rendered with fluid, impasto brushstrokes that convey a sense of flickering light. In the foreground, the street teems with the silhouettes of figures and early automobiles, their forms blurred by the evening haze and the warm glow of shopfronts.
Korovin’s genius for capturing the ephemeral spirit of the city is on full display. He employs a sophisticated palette of deep indigos and violets for the night sky, contrasting sharply with the ambers and reds of the urban lights. This work exemplifies his late Parisian style—emotional, spontaneous, and deeply rooted in the Impressionist tradition.
Private collection, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
Acquired from the above.
Good vintage condition; the paint surface is stable with rich, well-preserved impasto textures.
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Konstantin Korovin, a leading figure of Russian Impressionism, captured the poetry of modern life through vibrant brushwork and atmospheric cityscapes. Born in Moscow in 1861, Korovin studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, where he was influenced by the Russian realist tradition and the emerging currents of European Impressionism. A lifelong traveler and cosmopolitan, he developed a unique style that blended Russian lyricism with the light and spontaneity of French painting.
Drawn to the charm of urban nightlife and theatrical settings, Korovin spent extensive periods in Paris, where he painted bustling boulevards, cafés, and nocturnes with bold strokes and luminous palettes. His works pulse with energy—capturing fleeting moments, shimmering lights, and the romantic melancholy of twilight. Beyond painting, he also made significant contributions to stage design for the Mariinsky and Bolshoi Theatres, bringing a painter’s sensitivity to the world of opera and ballet. Today, Korovin is remembered as a visionary who bridged Russian and Western artistic traditions, infusing Impressionism with emotional depth and Slavic soul.
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