Evening Serenade 1916

Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin painted Evening Serenade in oil with a free, impressionistic style. The painting invites us to consider the role of music and leisure in late 19th and early 20th century Russian society. The scene depicts a woman with a guitar, seemingly lost in her music, with a vase of flowers and a moonlit view from the window setting a romantic mood. Korovin was a prominent figure in the Russian Impressionist movement, which embraced modern life and leisure activities as worthy subjects for art. The rise of a middle class with disposable income created a demand for art that reflected their interests and values. Korovin captures this shift, offering a glimpse into a world of beauty and refinement that was becoming increasingly accessible to a wider segment of society. To fully understand this painting, look at Russian social history, the rise of the middle class, and the development of impressionism.