Red Square in Moscow 1910

Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin’s painting of Red Square in Moscow, is rendered with expressive brushstrokes of oil paint on canvas. The painting’s textured surface, built up through layers of pigment, gives a palpable sense of the scene. You can see the architectural forms of the buildings, articulated with a sense of the material heft of traditional building methods. The artist’s focus on the visual qualities of the scene, gives the impression of actually being there. The artist also captures a sense of Russian identity, through the vernacular style of the architecture. The painting is concerned with the specifics of place and the importance of cultural heritage. Paintings like this can be seen as a type of cultural preservation, by representing these artifacts and traditions. In this way, Korovin is challenging any separation between art and craft by drawing on the rich heritage of Russian folk art and traditional building.