19: Konstantin Gorbatov – Capri Landscape
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Details
Signed lower right “C. Gorbatoff.”
Capri Landscape is all sun and serenity of the mature Mediterranean period. The painting is layered in pastel blues, ochres and coral. The terraces and the air are crystalline. Gorbatov turns the physical landscape into an emotional topography – a vision of peace and rebirth after the turmoil of exile.
Painted with confident brushwork, the composition is both structured and atmospheric. The strokes are loose but deliberate. The light is constructed through rhythm and temperature not outline. Each colour patch breathes, vibrates between solid and shimmer, the heat of the afternoon and the silence that follows.
In Capri Landscape Gorbatov merges Russian lyricism with the Mediterranean palette of freedom. It’s a meditation on belonging and beauty – an artist in exile finding home in the light. The work is his proof that painting like memory can transcend distance and restore what’s lost through the colour.
Provenance
Private Collection.
Condition
Good vintage condition with some signs of wear. Unframed.
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Born in Stavropol-on-Volga, Gorbatov studied civil engineering before turning fully to art, enrolling at the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg. In the 1910s, he traveled widely through Italy and Germany, eventually settling in Capri — a place whose sunlit palette deeply influenced his artistic language.
Gorbatov’s paintings from this period reveal a mastery of color, atmosphere, and architectural rhythm, often depicting Russian towns bathed in golden light. His use of expressive brushwork and vibrant tones places him among the leading colorists of his generation.
Following the Russian Revolution, Gorbatov emigrated permanently, first to Italy and then to Berlin. In exile, he remained deeply connected to Russian culture, becoming a central figure in the Russian émigré art community. While his works continued to reflect nostalgic visions of Russia, he also incorporated Mediterranean subjects and still lifes into his repertoire.
Despite hardships during World War II, Gorbatov continued to paint until his death in Berlin in 1945. Today, his works are held in major Russian and European museums, and his reputation has grown steadily on the international art market. Gorbatov’s legacy endures in his ability to merge memory, light, and national identity into radiant visual poetry.
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