Valentin Serov
1865–1911
Valentin Serov was born in Saint Petersburg to composer Alexander Serov. He studied with Ilya Repin and then under Pavel Chistyakov at the Academy of Arts, leaving before completing the course. Extended stays at Abramtsevo and Domotkanovo provided familiar sitters and opportunities to work with natural light.
Girl with Peaches and Girl in the Sunlight established the young painter’s reputation. He later portrayed collectors, performers, children and members of high society. His practice also included landscape, history painting, drawing, printmaking and book illustration. Portraiture combined individual likeness with attention to pose, dress and surrounding space.
Serov taught at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture from 1897 to 1909 and participated in several artistic groups. In 1905 he resigned from the Academy in protest against the shooting of demonstrators on 9 January. His career joined sustained teaching, a public stance and varied painterly exploration.
