Russian Art
Somov, K. A.
"Andrei Ivanovich Somov, Portrait". 1897
Notes: Portrait of Andrei Ivanovich Somov (1830-1909), art historian and the artist's father.
Like Malyavin's portrait of Somov of 1895 (see ImageBase), this portrait by Somov of his father is 'a polished performance' by a highly able young painter. The painter clearly aimed to provide insight into the sitter's character and to display his pictorial talents. Unlike Malyavin, Somov's painterly surface does not suggest spontaneity and mastery of his medium, but labor and deliberation. In contrast, Somov's later work displays his mature technical skills.
