02: Konstantin Korovin – Night Scene in Paris, 1927

Signed front lower left “Konstant. Korovine 1927”.

Entering the Parisian Twilight: A Nocturne by Korovin

Step into the nocturnal vibrancy of Night Scene in Paris, a masterful cityscape painted in 1927 by Russian Impressionist Konstantin Korovin. Alive with electric light, fleeting figures, and the pulse of Parisian nightlife, the painting is a lyrical meditation on modernity, exile, and memory. Painted during Korovin’s mature years in France, this work captures the artist’s enduring fascination with light—not as illumination alone, but as emotion rendered visible.

Brushwork in Motion, Light in Emotion

Korovin’s brush does not merely depict Paris—it animates it. Layer upon expressive layer of oil paint sweeps across the canvas in bursts of ochre, blue, and vermilion, evoking the shimmer of gaslights, the gleam of wet cobblestones, and the hum of evening life. Figures drift like shadows caught mid-movement. Buildings glow with warmth. There is no fixed center; instead, the viewer is drawn into a living moment where the boundaries between perception and feeling dissolve.

Rather than a precise record, Night Scene in Paris is an emotional atmosphere—a memory refracted through color and gesture. It channels the essence of Impressionism while infusing it with a uniquely Slavic melancholy and theatricality.

A Moment of Refuge in Exile

Created after Korovin’s emigration from Soviet Russia, this painting resonates with quiet longing. As an artist once celebrated at the Imperial court, Korovin found himself reinventing his visual language in Paris—a city both foreign and familiar. Here, he turns to the streets not for spectacle, but for solace. In this nocturne, one senses a man observing from the edge of the crowd, painting with both nostalgia and newfound freedom.

The result is an urban dreamscape: modern yet timeless, fleeting yet full of depth.

A Collectible of Enduring Charm

Paintings from Korovin’s Parisian period are highly sought after by collectors for their expressive force, historical resonance, and painterly brilliance. Night Scene in Paris offers all three. Its size and subject matter make it ideal for prominent display—whether in a private salon or museum-grade collection.

This is a work that commands presence while whispering its story. Rich in narrative and technique, it occupies a special place in the arc of 20th-century Russian art in exile.

Lasting Value, Lasting Light

With the art market’s renewed interest in Russian émigré painters, Korovin’s works continue to appreciate in value and relevance. His ability to merge Western impressionistic aesthetics with the emotional depth of Russian visual tradition gives his paintings a lasting appeal that transcends eras.

Night Scene in Paris is more than an artwork—it is a window into the soul of a displaced genius, a poetic tribute to beauty found in transience. For the discerning collector, it offers a rare opportunity to acquire both legacy and light.

Private collection, Paris, France.

Good vintage condition with some signs of wear. Unframed.